2009 Northwest Arkansas Business Journal 40 Under 40 Class Driven Toward Success

(To view a graphical snapshot of 2009 class statistics, click here.) 

The 2009 class of Forty Under 40 honorees, the 13th since the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal began publishing, is as diverse as they come. There’s a fashion designer, a cardiologist, an attorney and a homebuilder, just to name a few.

But despite the wide assortment of careers, the honorees have many things in common.

Most of them are married (65 percent) and have started families (72.5 percent have children).

And just like the three classes before them (the only other classes polled), the majority of the honorees said their biggest challenge is finding a balance between work and their personal lives. This comes as no surprise as many of the honorees work up to 60 hours per week (14 said they work up to 60 hours per week, while 19 work 40 to 50 hours) and are involved in community activities outside of work.

Many also cited the economy as a challenge and about half of the 40s said they’ve made significant changes in their spending habits since the recession hit.

The 2009 class is slightly older than the previous class, with an average age of 34.2 compared to 2008’s average age of 33.6. There are four people in their late 20s (the youngest honoree is 27) and eight people who are 39. Eleven of the 40 are women.

What really stands out about the 2009 class is their desire to make a difference in the world.

Michael Cassat started his own family medical practice with the goal of dedicating more time to patients and providing a higher standard of care.

Thomas Dixon started his own business building green, energy efficient homes and Ben McLintock works to raise funds for a non-profit aimed at reducing poverty.

Some of the 2009 honorees are familiar faces in Northwest Arkansas. You might recognize Matt Turner as the nightly news anchor on KNWA-TV or Courtney Henry as a candidate for the Arkansas Supreme Court.

And some of them are relatively new to the scene. Twenty-eight year old Jonathan Mwaba came to the United States just two years ago, after growing up in Zambia and South Africa.

The common thread in this year’s class is determination. Whether they are helping clients buy their first home or increasing revenues for their respective companies, they are doing it with a certain enthusiasm.

While many of the honorees said they’re motivated by their families, the majority cited an inner drive to succeed.

We are proud to present the 2009 class of Forty Under 40.