Meet HBJ’s 2025 40 Under Forty Class

Attracting and retaining top talent remains one of the most pressing challenges for Connecticut employers in 2025.

Young professionals play a pivotal role in that equation. While the state continues to face headwinds in holding onto recent college graduates, many dynamic, early-career leaders are choosing to build their futures here — and are making meaningful contributions to their companies and communities.

It’s important to put a spotlight on them to show others that starting a business or launching and making a career here can pay dividends, both professionally and personally.

That’s the purpose of 40 Under Forty. Every year for the last 29 years, Hartford Business Journal, with the help of our independent judges, has selected 40 of the top young professionals who are leading their organizations.

This year we received over 200 nominations. Our 2025 honorees hail from the private, public and nonprofit sectors, and from organizations both small and large. We’d like to thank this year’s judges for helping choose our honorees. They include:

• Jessica Dragan, District Manager, Insperity

• Alice Ericson, Assistant Vice President, Nassau Financial Group

• Myra Lee, Director of Communications & Public Affairs, Electric Boat Corp.

We will be celebrating our annual 40 Under Forty event on Sept. 11, at the Aqua Turf Club in the Plantsville section of Southington.

If you think you have what it takes to be part of a future 40 Under Forty class, we ask that you submit a nomination next year. This award is only as strong as the class of individuals who are nominated for it.

Learn more about HBJ’s 40 Under Forty list and view this year’s honorees here.