Avenue Magazine

Top 40 Under 40 Update

While I'm sure everyone is enjoying their summer despite the weather, there are probably a few people out there anxiously waiting for fall to arrive when the November issue reveals 2010's Top 40 Under 40.

I can't give you any hints but I can explain the process a little bit more and why it takes Avenue months to compile our annual list of Calgary's movers and shakers.

In previous years we relied on nominators to provide us with all the necessary information required to explain why a nominee should make the list. However, many of the nominators only knew one aspect of a nominee's life and so the big picture was missing.

This year, after each nomination, we followed up with the nominee asking pertinent questions about their experience and work history as well as their volunteerism and contributions to the community. With 278 nominees, that meant e-mailing every single one of them. We even extended the deadline when our site ran into some technical difficulties in the days leading up to the deadline.

At this point the list of nominees was cut down to 189 as not all nominees filled out part B of the nomination process for various reasons. That list was then cut down to a short list of 90 nominees for our judging panel to review.

Electronic copies of the judging pack were sent out to the judges in late June. Since then the judges have been pouring over 4 inch thick binders narrowing down the short list of talented and intelligent Calgarians to an even shorter list of amazing Calgarians.

Once the Top 40 is decided, the next step in the process will be contacting all 40 to arrange photoshoots and interviews, a daunting and time consuming task as many Calgarians take their holidays over the summer months.

Of course, those who make the list have to keep mum for the remainder of the summer and early fall until our November issue arrives.

So, if you were nominated and are wondering what's the status of your nomination you will have to wait until next week to find out.

If you did not make the list this year we encourage those who nominated you this year to do so again next year. While a Top 40 can only be selected to the Top 40 list once, nominees can be nominated until they are no longer eligible. You'll have another year to keep moving forward, accomplishing more and making a difference. Good luck.