Our first-ever 40 under 40 rising stars of business

Kootenay Business wanted to recognize our younger business people, so we put out a call for nominations. We are honoured to present this list of our top 40 business leaders under 40 years old in the Kootenay/Boundary/Revelstoke areas. The list is arranged in a random order. Drum roll, please!

Andrea Ryman is SUP river surfing in Trail, B.C.
Castlegar

Andrea Ryman

Andrea Ryman has made a career out of doing what she loves

Rachelle Colthorp is a successful business owner in Kimberley and an active member of the community.
Kimberley

Rachelle Colthorp

Rachelle Colthorp is working hard to make a difference in the community of Kimberley.

Keith Mose was nominated for the 40 Under 40 by Susan Clovechok, executive director of the Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce, where Mose serves as a director.
Invermere

Keith Mose

This young entrepreneur works hard, plays hards and volunteers that way, too

Scott Deydey is an avid fly fishermen, something that being an entrepreneur in Fernie allows him to enjoy.
Fernie

Scott Deydey

Successful fly fishing takes a rare combination of art and science which happen to be the same skills that Deydey uses to run Wigwam Media

David Abenante, owner of Elite Physiotherapy.
Trail

David Abenante

His journey a circle in motion, this Trail physiotherapist has come back to the place he started from

Jessica Piccinin with her 408 kilogram (900 lb) pig, Annie.
Creston

Jessica Piccinin

Having dirty fingernails is a prerequisite for this job

Tim Hoechsmann is the proud owner of Owen's Drilling Inc. in Cranbrook, B.C.
Cranbrook

Tim Hoechsmann

A young entrepreneur with a strong work ethic, Tim Hoechsmann has a bright future ahead

Mark Starr, owner of Super Starr Cleaning
Invermere

Mark Starr

This guy goes to work and gets down and dirty

Corey Fraser - The Cedar House Restaurant.
Golden

Corey Fraser

This Golden, B.C., chef inherited a love of cooking from his mother—also a chef

Jakki Van Hemert, owner Heart & Soul Tae Kwon Do
Trail

Jakki Van Hemert

With her motivational skills and dedication to helping others, Jakki Van Hemert has made a difference in the lives of many Fruitvale residents

Carl Lauren runs two residential construction businesses in Kimberley.
Kimberley

Carl Lauren

Meet a green activist and residential home builder in Kimberley, B.C.

Greg & Meredith Chatelain, owners of Kootenay Park Lodge.
Radium Hot Springs

Greg and Meredith Chatelain

From dream to reality, the road was long . . . but worth it

Ken and Elyssa Starchuk, owners of Kootenay Car Care Inc.
Grand Forks

Ken & Elyssa Starchuk

Becoming an entrepreneur was really the only option

The world of online marketing and social media can be confusing, especially for a small business. That’s where Jana Skerlak comes in.
West Kootenay, Golden

Jana Skerlak

Jana Skerlak is a small business owner helping other small business owners build their online presence

Erik Laithwaite, Gerick Cycle and Sport Ltd.
Trail

Erik Laithwaite and Jason Proulx

Hooked into sports at a young age, these two entrepreneurs get to share their passion for the outdoors and an active lifestyle everyday

Ryan Doehle—Isosceles Business Systems.
East Kootenay, Fernie

Ryan Doehle

This Fernie businessman realizes his childhood dream

Meet Bradley Higham, CEO of  Collabo Consulting Inc.
Nelson

Bradley Higham

This tech-driven CEO has been establishing roots in his community

Kayla Sebastian, owner of the Wooden Spoon Bistro in Grand Forks.
Grand Forks

Kayla Sebastian

The owner/chef of this Grand Forks bistro has a ton of community support—and for good reason

Krista Turcasso of Fernie is a writer, a publisher, an active volunteer and a busy mother and wife.
Fernie

Krista Turcasso

Krista Turcasso supports the community she loves by working at her dream career.

Jessica Riley takes joy in giving her clients a relaxing spa experience.
Fernie

Jessica Riley and Laura Oleksow

The owners of Spa 901 in Fernie have found their calling in life—and a blissful work environment

Jessica Curran, real estate investor/rent-to-own home specialist.
Nelson

Jessica Curran

Curran is pioneering a concept in the Kootenays that helps people build their dreams

Dr. Denoon is passionately in love with her practice and her impact on patient health.
Fernie

Dr. Karley Denoon

Dr. Karley Denoon followed her heart, and it led her to natural medicine.

Cristina Baldini, property manager at Mountain Town Properties.
Rossland

Cristina Baldini

More opportunity and the slower pace of life brought one of Rossland’s top property managers to the area.

Mike Robinson, owner Lotic Environmental.
Cranbrook

Mike Robinson

This Kootenay kid grew up and still spends his life outdoors—as an aquatic ecologist

Dave MacLeod, CEO of Thoughtexchange, manages to find time to enjoy fresh powder at nearby Red Resort in his hometown of Rossland, B.C.
Rossland

Dave Macleod

From his home in Rossland B.C., Thoughtexchange CEO Dave Macleod has helped grow his business into a company that touches lives all across Canada and the US

Brad Pommen, president and founder of the Nelson Tech Club,
Nelson

Brad Pommen

The president and founder of the Nelson Tech Club is doing his part to make Nelson the next Canadian “Silicon Valley”

by Kerry Shellborn
Florio Vassilakakis of Castlegar, B.C., owns V Squared Development Co.
Castlegar

Florio Vassilakakis

His family, his business and his community are top priorities for Florio Vassilakakis of Castlegar, B.C.

Rebecca Jewell is the owner and operator of Riders Retreat in Nakusp.
Nakusp

Rebecca Jewell

Falling instantly in love with Nakusp, Rebecca Jewell decided not to wait until retirement to make it her forever home

Megan Lescanec - Bumble Tree Baby
Cranbrook

Megan Lescanec

For this Cranbrook business owner, filling the needs of expectant parents is a joy

Chris Botterill is a family man and the innovative young owner of Genex Marketing in Cranbrook, B.C.
Cranbrook

Chris Botterill

Chris Botterill, owner of Genex Marketing, makes maximum use of the Internet as an information source and a marketplace

Ryan Gibbard is a geotechnical engineer at McElhanney Consulting Services.
Cranbrook

Ryan Gibbard

This Kootenay businessman engineered his life to come back home

Heidi Lettrari General Manager Kaslo Sourdough.
Kaslo

Heidi Lettrari

This Kaslo woman translates her belief in healthy living into a successful business

Meet Chase Thielen, president of Silverado Construction and KD Electric in Cranbrook.
Cranbrook

Chase Thielen

The president of Silverado Construction and KD Electric takes pride in seeing a job well done.

Jason de Rijk, owner of Sidekick Stickers
Cranbrook

Jason de Rijk_

A part-time concept expands to a full-time adventure with Sidekick Stickers

Amy Robillard was previously known as Little Miss Gelato in Nelson.
Nelson

Amy Robillard

A passion for youth and the entrepreneurial spirit embodies this Nelson woman

Nicole Anker is the commercial services account officer for the East Kootenay Community Credit Union.
Cranbrook

Nicole Anker

Nicole Anker is a born leader, and her skills have come in handy.

Jordan Perkins, Boston Pizza franchise owner, prepares the restaurant's bar for service in Castlegar, B.C.
Castlegar

Jordan Perkins

Jordan Perkins of Castlegar's Boston Pizza is empowering his community and his staff.

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Peter LeCouffe, Operations Manager, at Harrier Aerial Surveys shows off a fixed wing drone.
Nelson

Peter LeCouffe

This Nelson entrepreneur took a flyer on emerging drone technology so he could follow his heart and put down roots in the Kootenays

Scott Duke, owner of Revelstoke Property Services & Welstad Business Brokers
Revelstoke

Scott Duke

Always an entrepreneur

Stephanie McGregor has taken her passion for animals and turned it into a business opportunity.
Cranbrook

Stephanie McGregor

This pet-loving entrepreneur has been an asset to the Cranbrook community