2025 4 Under 40 Winners Honored by Emerging Leaders of United Way of Lake County January 29, 2026

4 Under 40 Winners Honored by Emerging Leaders of United Way of Lake County January 29, 2026, During Evening Reception
 

Mentor, OH (February 4, 2026) – The Emerging Leaders of United Way of Lake County recognized the recipients of their annual “4 Under 40” young professional award winners honoring Lake County’s best and brightest during an evening reception held Thursday, January 29, 2026, from 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm.

A crowd of over 160 turned out in support of the 2025 award winners who were honored over heavy appetizers and drinks at The Everly in Mentor.

Honorees included Ashley Cozzens, Community Relations Director of the Lake County Board of DD; Joel DiMare Jr., Director of Administrative Services for the Lake County Commissioner's Office; Zerina Hutchinson, Owner of Fit4Mom Lake County; and Brandon Morse, Owner and Operator of Furniture Warehouse Ohio.

The evening featured moving video testimonials that highlighted what made each honoree deserving of recognition, followed by brief remarks from the honorees expressing their appreciation for the awards.

“These 4 Under 40 honorees are making an undeniable impact in Lake County,” said United Way of Lake County President and CEO Dione DeMitro. “Their dedication to service and leadership reflects the future of our community — one built on compassion, innovation, and action.”

United Way of Lake County and their Emerging Leaders believe the significance of recognizing these young leaders goes beyond individual achievements and speaks to the importance of fostering a culture that values and uplifts the next generation of change-makers. By acknowledging their efforts, the organization hopes to send a powerful message that dedication, innovation, and service are qualities worthy of celebration and emulation.

In addition to receiving a 4 Under 40 recognition award, each honoree was also presented with proclamations during the evening from the Offices of Senator John Husted and State Representative Dan Troy, the Office of Congressman Dave Joyce, and Lake County Commissioner Morris Beverage III, who was in attendance at the event.

Nominees were submitted by members of the community. All were required to live in Lake County and fall between the ages of 21 to 40 years of age during the year ending December 31, 2025. Winners were selected by a committee following a holistic review of their personal achievements, professional accomplishments, and contributions to the community.

Last year’s honorees included Kathryn Baden, CEO of Olympus Aerospace; Rochelle Fowler, Process Specialist at The Lubrizol Corporation; Kerry Jonke, Manager of Customer Experience at Laketran; and Francisco Veloz Vela, President of Veloz Landscape & Nursery.

A list of all 4 Under 40 alumni dating back to 2018 can be found on United Way of Lake County’s website at uwlc.org/el-past-4-under-40-award-recipients.

Event sponsors included Avery Dennison, Deepwood Foundation, Express Employment Professionals, Fredon, Furniture Warehouse Ohio, Griffin Technology Group, Laketran, Lighthouse Advisers, Mentor Nissan, Mother Rising, Olympus Aerospace, Paul Davis Property Restoration Experts, Rehmann, S&T Bank, Somich & Associates, Tec Inc. Engineering & Design, The Daffodil Room Group, The Kilbourne Family, Two Men and A Truck, and Veloz Landscape & Nursery. In-kind sponsors included Clicks by Kat, Everything Bundt Cake, and PIP Marketing, Signs, Print.

United Way of Lake County Emerging Leaders welcome new members interested in volunteering their time and talent to impact the lives of youth in the community. To learn more about the Emerging Leaders, visit uwlc.org/emerging-leaders-el.