2021 - 40 Under 40 Awards

We’re thrilled to announce the 2021 winners of the 40 Under 40 Awards presented by the StarNews and the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce. The 40 Under 40 Awards are the Cape Fear region’s premiere event to celebrate the young professionals who are scaling businesses to new heights, making decisions that put their organizations on the map or producing a seemingly infinite stream of impactful work in our community.
 
We plan to recognize the 2021 honorees during an event at 5:30 pm on Sept. 30 at the Brooklyn Arts Center. Tickets are available to the public for $40 each, but space is limited to 250 attendees. Free hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar will be available. 
 
We hope you’ll join us in congratulating the following recipients of the 40 Under 40 Awards: 
 

• Jessica Aguilar, 24, program coordinator, Juntos 4-H Pender County 
• Julie Andrews, 30, marketing manager, Logan Homes 
• Sarah Arthur, 34, manager of community engagement, Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center 
• Marissa Bryant Franks, 26, health equity outreach coordinator, Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center 
• LeeAnn Canady, 31, neurosurgical physician assistant, Coastal Spine Institute 
• Jessica Canavan, 32, assistant director of community-based family services, Coastal Horizons Center 
• Joseph Casares, 37, director of radiology, Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center 
• Chris DeHart, 39, owner, All About Energy Solutions 
• Daniel Duffy, 37, dentist and owner, Live Oak Dental 
• Jhaniqua Farrar Palmer, 35, Grandparent Support Network program coordinator and Advocacy and Racial Justice program coordinator, YWCA Lower Cape Fear 
• Jarett Gattison, 32, director, Community Boys & Girls Club 
• Rashad Gattison, 34, teen service director, Brigade Boy's and Girl's Club 
• Vanessa Gonzalez, 34, president/attorney, The Law Office of Vanessa A. Gonzalez PLLC 
• Chris Hoenig, 36, yacht and boat sales consultant, MarineMax 
• Emmanuel Ibarra, 30, owner and accountant, EL Cerro Grande, El Arriero Taqueria, Zocalo Street Food and Tequila, and Mi Cabana 
• Jennie Jackson, 39, market executive, Bank of America 
• Karin Kassab, 37, psychologist and founder, Clarity Counseling Center 
• Manuel Lloyd, 27, Cultural Enrichment Program coordinator, Upperman African American Cultural Center at the University of North Carolina Wilmington 
• Lauren McKenzie, 34, executive director, Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity 
• Elliott Miller, 35, vice president of finance, PPD 
• Emmanuel Mitcham, 36, marketing and communications specialist, Office of Community Engagement and Applied Learning, University of North Carolina Wilmington 
• Chris Montero, 35, co-founder and operations and sales director, Perfect Touch Rental 
• Justin Parr, 27, solutions services manager, nCino 
• Narcisa Pricope, 39, professor of geospatial sciences, University of North Carolina Wilmington
• Arely Ramirez Diaz, 24, paralegal, Helen Tarokic Law PLLC 
• Rob Rens, 36, president, Rob Rens State Farm Insurance Agency and Signal Fire Media Company 
• Keisha Robinson, 29, community programs manager, Communities In Schools of Cape Fear 
• Matt Rogers, 39, regional vice president, Aramark 
• Angelica Santibanez-Mendez, 28, program director and outreach nurse, Manos Unidas at Black River Health Services 
• Corey Scott, 33, co-owner, On Thyme Catering, On Thyme Catering Food Truck and On Thyme Restaurant 
• Devin Skipper, 36, president, Salt Air
• Jorey Stanley, 25, marketing and administrative associate, Perfect Touch Rental 
• Amy Steelman, 38, eighth-grade language arts teacher, New Hanover County Schools 
• Barnes Sutton, 28, director of planning and development, Town of Navassa 
• Andrea Troccia, 38, market development manager, Corning Credit Union 
• Ramon Villasenor-Castro, 39, chef and business owner, Tequila Comida and Cantina, three Taqueria Los Portales, Supermarket Los Portales 
• Cierra Washington, 24, strategic partnership coordinator, Northside Food Cooperative 
• Parker Wilson, 36, founder and chief strategist, Sparked Consulting 
• Genna Wirth, 25, executive director, Voyage 
• Landon Zimmer, 39, managing partner, Zimmer Development Company 

 
To be eligible this year, nominees had to be younger than 40 years old as of Sept. 30 and live or work in Brunswick, New Hanover, or Pender counties. 
 
A six-member selection panel studied the nominations and met earlier this year to pick the winners. The panelists were: Natalie English, Wilmington Chamber of Commerce president and CEO; Sherry Jones, StarNews Media news director; Katelyn Mattox, NourishNC program coordinator and a 40 Under 40 honoree in 2020; Edelmira Segovia, director of Centro Hispano at the University of North Carolina Wilmington; Linda Thompson, chief diversity and equity officer for New Hanover County; Woody White, attorney, and former New Hanover County Commissioner. 
 
The StarNews will publish individual profiles on this year’s honorees at StarNewsOnline.com on the night of Sept. 30 and in a special section in the print newspaper on Oct. 1.