- October 8, 2026
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In more than 20 years of publishing a 40 Under 40 issue, the question we get the most is: What do you look for in choosing the honorees?
There are some consistent factors that make up a Business Observer 40 Under 40 winner. The must-haves include demonstrated success, proven results and an ability, essentially and simply, to get stuff done. Some other keys to what we look for are resilience, a willingness to take risks and an ability — or even an affinity — to make a decision, in their career or with their organization, that goes against conventional wisdom. One last point: Are they someone, who, if you are new to town, they would be someone you have to meet?
The 40 honorees in this issue have all those — and more.
And not take anything away from past 40 Under 40 issues, but one theme of the class of 2026 that stands out is they are flat-out doing some cool things, in business and nonprofits. Consider just these few examples, five of many more.
Beyond the winners, one aspect we believe that makes our 40 Under 40 issue special is the inclusion of mentors. While there are a few outliers, most accomplished people in any walk of life have a mentor — many have more than one — who inspired and informed them along the way.
Some winners cite their mentors’ confidence in them when maybe they didn’t see it themselves. Some others cite times when their mentors, in leading by example, showed how to handle a difficult situation. And others cited the importance of having a mentor who can tell them difficult-to-hear truths that become, in retrospect, important feedback.
Many mentors in this issue, too, are just tremendous people who lived lives worth emulating. Take Kourtney Sanchez, CEO of the United Way Suncoast and her mentor, Toby Krayer, who is her grandfather, pop-pop. “He was disciplined, hardworking and deeply successful,” Shnchez wrote of Krayer, a St. Petersburg banker and civic leader, “but his greatest accomplishment was being a husband, father and grandfather. He showed me that ambition and achievement mean little if you lose sight of the people you love. His approach to life is something I strive to bring to both my leadership and my life.”
