Your questions answered.

Each year, Baton Rouge Business Report spotlights and honors promising young professionals in our community who have achieved success and excelled in their field before the age of 40.

Business Report is looking for people who have demonstrated leadership, initiative and dedication in pursuing their careers and community service, and who are likely to continue to do so.

Here are answers to frequently asked questions about the nomination process.

Who is eligible?
Anyone living and working in the Capital Region of Louisiana who is under the age 40 as of the date the Forty Under 40 issue for that year is eligible. The Capital Region is comprised of Ascension, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana parishes.

What makes a Forty Under 40?
We’re looking for local business and professional leaders who have achieved success and excelled in their field before the age of 40. An ideal Forty Under 40 is someone who has demonstrated leadership, initiative and dedication in pursuing their career, and who is likely to continue to achieve in the future. Most of those honored are involved in business or a related career, but previous Forty Under 40 classes have included honorees who were successful in a wide variety of pursuits, including business, the arts, scientific research, industry, health care, public service and nonprofits.

How do I submit a nomination?
All nominations must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. on the specified deadline for that year. All nominations must be submitted via the online form for that year. No exceptions to the deadline will be made.

What information do I need to submit a nomination?
You should have the following ready to go to complete the nomination form:
—The nominee’s full name, mobile number, email address, current job position and company information.
—A clear sense of why the nominee should be considered for Forty Under 40 recognition.
—Basic job and resume information, as well as details of specific accomplishments and community involvement.

Any advice for submitting a nomination?
Nominations are reviewed by a panel of community and business leaders who are looking for information about honorees who have made a significant impact in their field and/or the community. Nominations that provide detailed information about character, credentials and accomplishments—and contain a personalized testimonial or multiple personal testimonials  as to the nominee’s qualifications—are preferred over those with the same content copied and pasted by multiple nominators.

Is it important to have multiple nominations?
Forty Under 40 is not a popularity contest. Honorees are selected solely based upon their character, credentials and accomplishments. A sizable number of honorees have been selected based on a single nomination, and a sizable number of nominees with multiple recommendations have not been chosen for recognition. If desired, it is acceptable to include comments from multiple supporters in a single nomination, attesting to the worthiness of a nominee.

Will more than one nominee from the same company or organization be considered?
You can nominate multiple executives from one entity, but only one will be chosen. However, multiple candidates from separate divisions of large conglomerates could be chosen.

How are honorees selected?
Those recognized each year as the Baton Rouge Forty Under 40 are chosen based in part on input from a confidential panel of more than 50 community leaders. The goal is to select a diverse list that represents a broad spectrum of the local professional community.

Can someone be honored as a Forty Under 40 multiple times?
No. Forty Under 40 is a one-time honor.

How do I know if someone has already been honored?
Click here to view previous Forty Under 40 winners. Previous honorees are not eligible for nomination.

What is required of those who are selected?
The Forty Under 40 honorees must complete a Q+A by a specified deadline and make themselves available for a photo shoot. It is also important that they are able to attend our celebration recognizing our Forty Under 40 honorees.

What is the deadline for nominating someone?
Deadlines will be promoted in Daily Report each year. No exceptions to the deadline will be made.

Can I fax, mail or hand delivery my nomination?
No. Nominations sent by email, fax, postal mail or hand delivery will not be accepted. All materials must be submitted via the online nomination form.

Can I save my nomination form and come back to it?
No. Once you start the form, you must complete it or start over another time.

I submitted my nomination and now realize I made a mistake or omitted pertinent information. Can I edit my nomination or will you correct it for me?
To preserve the integrity of the selection process, we are not able to make revisions to nominations once they have been submitted. You will need to submit a new nomination with the corrected information.

When will I find out who the honorees are?
The Forty Under 40 honorees will be featured each year in the November issue of Business Report. The names of honorees will remain confidential until then. They will also be recognized at a special event later that month.