‘Young Professionals’ Honorees To Be Recognized Oct. 6

‘Young Professionals’ Honorees To Be Recognized Oct. 6
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OCEAN CITY — Some of the area’s leading “Young Professionals” will be honored next week in the latest installment of The Dispatch’s Shore Stars awards program.

The “Young Professionals” campaign — the third and final Shore Stars installment for 2011 — was launched in early July when organizers sought candidates who at a young age or early point in their career had impressed by their work ethic, accomplishments, desire, lifestyle and/or success.

About 85 residents in Sussex, Wicomico and Worcester counties were nominated, and 60 residents responded to a letter seeking basic biographical information by the Aug. 19 deadline. A volunteer committee then selected the 42 honorees — 23 men and 19 women.

The honorees will be profiled in a special publication inserted in The Dispatch on Sept. 30 and honored at a business casual awards reception at Seacrets on Oct. 6. The event will be held outside under the tarp and feature beer and wine and food with the purchase of a ticket. Happy hour prices will be available for liquor drinks.

The honorees are Jeffrey Auxer, Helen Barnaba, James “Ryan” Bergey III, Andrea Bowland, Anna Dolle Bushnell, Sam Card, Phillip Cheung, Jason Cole, Phillip Cropper, Natalee DeHart, Aaron Finney, John Gehrig, Bradley Gillis, Ryan Haley, Todd Hershey, Christopher D. Hoen, Erica Joseph, Meagan Krause Kohut, Deserie Lawrence, Lauren Laws, Amy Luppens, Justin McGinnis, Meredith Moore, Robert Mulford, Jr., Scott Mumford, Ryan Murphy, Melanie Pursel, Mariratina Quillen, Michelle Sommers, Brian Stoehr, Nikki Strickler, Christopher Takacs, D.M.D., Cole Taustin, Amy Tingle, Amy Unger, Erin Westman, Jon Westman, Dave Wilson, Amy Wood, Travis Wright, Jason Yonker, M.D. and Preeti Yonker, M.D.

The Dispatch Editor/Publisher Steve Green said the distinguished group represents a variety of fields across the lower shore.

“Nearly all the local industries are represented with this diverse group of leading citizens … we have doctors, publishers, artists, restaurateurs, conservationists, tourism workers, finance leaders, information technology experts, retail operators, non-profit and for-profit professionals, sales representatives and variety of local business owners,” Green said. “Despite their varying backgrounds, what they have in common is they each fascinated members of their community at an early stage in their respective careers, are 40ish and under in years and are successful.”

This campaign is sponsored by Atlantic/Smith, Cropper & Deeley, Bank of Ocean City, The Kite Loft, Ryan Kirby of Merrill Lynch, Seacrets and The Dispatch.

According to Green, the Charitable Souls event in March and the Women Leaders event in June were both sellouts, as nearly 200 people attended each.

Tickets for the Young Professionals event at Seacrets can be purchased at www.thedispatchshorestars.com  or by calling 410-641-4561.

The next Shore Stars campaign in early 2012 will focus on Hometown Heroes, spotlighting public safety employees who have served their communities for more than 15 years, Green announced.