Sponsored by

Know an up-and-coming star of the Tri-City business community? Now’s your chance to throw your hat – or someone else’s – into the ring to be named one of our Young Professionals.  

The Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business’ annual Young Professionals program is now in its 18th year.

These business-savvy individuals are local, rising stars who distinguish themselves in their careers and make a difference through charity work, leadership and community involvement.

Mid-Columbia professionals age 40 and under are encouraged to apply for the contest. Nominations also are welcome. 

Judges review applications for career development, leadership, and charity work or community involvement.

Answers form the basis for the profiles featured in our special Young Professionals edition.

In the May issue of the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business, we highlight the winners in a specialty publication that will be inserted into the Journal.

Sponsor Event

ELGIBILITY 

Nominees must: 

• Be 40 years of age or under by Dec. 31, 2025. 
• Work or live in Benton or Franklin counties. 
• Not be a past winner, a sitting politician, or candidate for a public office. 

DEADLINE AND SUBMISSIONS

• Submission deadline was Wednesday, March 26. 
• Self-nominations and nominations will be accepted.

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SAVE THE DATE

Join us for our annual Young Professionals recognition event.

May 15, 2024 | 4 - 6 p.m.

Doors open at 4 p.m.
Program begins promptly at 4:30 p.m.

Admission includes appetizers and no-host bar.

Fiction @ Bookwalter Winery

894 Tulip Lane, Richland

The event is at Fiction @Bookwalter restaurant – not at the adjacent tasting room off Columbia Park Trail. If the parking lot is full, you may park at the nearby Park & Ride lot.  

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View 2024 Special Supplement

PLEASE MEET THE CLASS OF 2024:

• Raul Contreras, assistant director, Tri-Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
• Kristy Leitze, director - Therapy Services & Wound Care, Trios Health.
• Josh Lozano, senior government and external affairs specialist, Energy Northwest.
• Melissa McCoy, principal architect and owner, CKJT Architects.
• Nicholas Mercer, wealth advisor, Piton Wealth.
• Ryan Nell, geochemist, INTERA Inc.
• Jaylicia-Jinei "Kanani" Patricio-Young, technical integrations industrial hygiene supervisor, Washington River Protection Solutions.
• Austin Regimbal, marketing and communications director, Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce.
• Melissa Torres, director of fire systems maintenance, Hanford Mission Integration Solutions (HMIS).
• Sonee Kulaga Wilson, mission services opportunity specialist, Goodwill Industries of the Columbia.

Check out our photo gallery from our awards event. 

Young Professional winners, from left, Josh Lozano, Jaylicia-Jinei "Kanani" Patricio-Young, Raul Contreras, Melissa McCoy, Nicholas Mercer, Kristy Leitze, Ryan Nell. Not pictured are Austin Regimbal, Melissa Torres, Sonee Kulaga Wilson who were traveling and could not attend.

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TO MEET PREVIOUS WINNERS, CLICK HERE.

Read Young Professional stories