ENR Regionals' Top Young Professionals

Welcome to ENR Regionals' Top Young Professionals competition, the annual regional program honoring outstanding young construction and design professionals. In 2026, each region will highlight a group of individuals under the age of 40 who represent the industry’s top rising leaders by giving back to their industry and communities. For this program, ENR's regional editions will be accepting nominations from all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico.

You can nominate anyone who works at any level of the design or construction industry who has had an impact in their respective fields or within their company, who exhibit qualities such as leadership, career progress, community involvement and creating landmark projects for their region. You can nominate an employee of your firm, or someone who works at another firm. You can even nominate yourself (the nominator isn't made public). Independent juries of industry leaders from each of ENR's 5 regional editions will judge the nominees based on the candidate's industry experience, leadership skills and community service. Those individuals chosen for recognition will be featured in a story within ENR’s Regional Editions. ENR’s Regional Editions encourage a diverse pool of candidates for its Top Young Professionals competition.

ELIGIBILITY

1. The nominee must be based in an office or location within the 50 U.S. States plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico.
2. They must be UNDER 40 years of age as of January 1, 2026
3. They should exhibit qualities expressed in the Top Young Professionals criteria: industry experience, leadership and community service.
4. There is no limit to the number of entries each firm or person can submit, and there is no entry fee.
5. You can re-nominate candidates who were previously submitted in a previous year as long as they are still eligible and have not been selected previously as a winner.
6. Only submit one entry for each candidate per year. Duplicate entries for the same candidate in the same year will be discarded.

JUDGING CRITERIA

Eligible nominees are reviewed by a panel of judges on the following criteria:

1. Industry Experience and Education
2. Career and Industry Leadership
3. Community Service and Involvement

PHOTOGRAPHS

Each nomination must include a high-resolution photograph or headshot of the nominee. We prefer 300dpi when possible. Please also include up to three additional photographs of the nominee at work or in the field, depicting significant projects or other examples of the nominee's accomplishments. You may also include one optional supplemental document, such as a testimonial letter.

ENR Regional Editions and Contacts

ENR West Calif., Hawaii, Alaska, Nev., Ore., Wash. — C.J. Schexnayder, schexnayderc@enr.com

ENR East Conn., Del., D.C., Maine, Md., Mass., N.H., N.J., N.Y., Pa., R.I., Vt., Va., W. Va. — Justin Rice, ricej@enr.com
 
ENR Midwest Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kan., Ky., Mich., Minn., Mo., Neb., N.D., Ohio, S.D., Wis. — Annemarie Mannion, manniona@enr.com
 
ENR Mountain States & Southwest Ariz., Colo., Idaho, Mont., N.M., Utah, Wyo. —  Jen Seward, sewardj@enr.com
 
ENR Texas & Southeast Ala., Ark., Fla., Ga., La., Miss., N.C., Okla., P.R., S.C., Tenn., Texas — Derek Lacey, laceyd@enr.com