The Business Record is proud to recognize the 2026 Forty Under 40 honorees.

These 40 local leaders, who were chosen by past award winners, are under the age of 40 and have demonstrated impressive career achievements and unparalleled community involvement.

This year’s class is the 27th to receive the award. Together, they join 1,040 past Business Record Forty Under 40 honorees to bring the total number of honorees to 1,080 since the Business Record began the awards in 2000.

– Emily Barske Wood, Business Record special projects editor

2026 Forty Under 40 honorees

• Bailee Arnburg, director of sports, Catch Des Moines

• Mike Beals, associate vice president, finance, Principal Financial Group

• Kailey Blazek Naranjo, shareholder, Dentons Davis Brown

• Lauren Bockholt, self-perform work leader, Midwest region, Ryan Cos.

• Alysun Bulver, corporate counsel, LCS

• Alicia Chilton, vice president of marketing, Greater Des Moines Partnership

• Marcus Coenen, senior planner, Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)

• Charlie Cowell, urban planner, RDG Planning & Design

• Sara Donovan, manager of access and engagement, Broadlawns Medical Center

• Ty Flood, shareholder, senior client executive, Holmes Murphy and Associates

• Megan Garrett, director of communications, Care Initiatives

• David Gross, director of business development, Estes Construction

• Haley Gutschenritter, retirement planner, Merkle Retirement Planning

• Ellen Hames, member attorney, BrownWinick Law Firm

• Nathan Hardisty, vice president, public infrastructure business unit director, Shive-Hattery

• Adam Haselhuhn, senior director of development, UnityPoint Health - Des Moines Foundation

• Ngozi Igbokwe, senior manager, learning and development, Bright Horizons Family Solutions

• Paige Jaeger, chief operating officer, ChildServe

• Aaron Jones, shareholder, Belin McCormick

• Ali Kraayenbrink, partner, Vesel Technology

• Greg Lagan, vice president of sales delivery, Paragon IT Professionals

• Jaime Leiva, owner, Legado Insurance Professionals | executive director, United Futbol Academy of Iowa

• Becca Mataloni, senior manager, marketing creative, ITA Group

• Cole McClelland, vice president, senior commercial real estate relationship manager, Bankers Trust

• Ryan Moon, government relations director, Delta Dental of Iowa

• Paige Moore, CEO, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Iowa

• Anthony Pawnell Jr., Title IX coordinator, Des Moines Area Community College

• Stacey Robles, inclusive talent program manager, Greater Des Moines Partnership

• Liesl Seabert, program manager, University of Northern Iowa Institute for Decision Making

• Taufeek Shah, CEO, Lola's Fine Sauces

• Joe Sheridan, general manager and owner, SpeedPro Des Moines

• Josh Terrell, CEO, 3E Partners

• Eric Tubbs, shareholder, attorney, Nyemaster Goode

• Cheyenne Vander Waal, commercial relationship manager, VisionBank

• Val Veiock, owner, Bing's

• Calla Whipp, director of marketing and public relations, Des Moines Symphony

• Amy Wise, vice president, treasury management relationship manager, Community State Bank

• Josh Woodvine, chief distribution officer, Sammons Financial Group

• Derek Zarn, director of marketing and communications, City of Urbandale

• Sarah Zeidler, executive director, oncology services, UnityPoint Health - John Stoddard Cancer Center

• 2026 Forty Under 40 Alum of the Year: Scott Raecker, executive director, Robert D. Ray and Billie Ray Center at Drake University

Event information
Date: April 2
Time: 4 to 7 p.m. 
Where: Prairie Meadows

The Business Record invites you to help us celebrate the 2026 class of Forty Under 40 honorees at a special event on April 2 at Prairie Meadows. Businesses interested in reserving a corporate support table can inquire about securing one now. General admission tickets go on sale Feb. 27.

Each of the honorees will be profiled in the March 20 edition of the Business Record.