Brainerd Area’s WAVE Young Professionals Network to Host ‘Four Under 40’ Awards

The WAVE Young Professionals Network will honor this year’s “Four Under 40” winners at their annual gala on September 18 in Nisswa. (Credit: WAVE Young Professionals Network)

The WAVE Young Professionals Network is getting ready for their annual gala, where they’ll present their Four Under 40 awards.

The award recognizes leaders in the Brainerd Lakes Area aged 18 to 39 who excel in professional excellence, leadership, and community involvement, among other criteria. This year’s recipients are:

• Colton Maher, co-owner of MN Traders Co. and founder/broker of Woods to Water Real Estate;
• Jesse Zahn, CEO of Conductor Power and a Nisswa City Councilor;
• Max Walter, who works for Consolidated Telecommunications Company (CTC);
• and Scott Lykins, artistic and executive director of the Lakes Area Music Festival.

According to WAVE officials, the ceremony helps inspire other young business professionals and students to grow within the Brainerd business community.

“People in college—I was one of them—[are] like, ‘Okay, what am I going to do with my life?’ Right?” And I think that this is a great way for them to see, ‘Wow, I could be that person,'” said WAVE Board Chair Leah Boedigheimer on the ceremony’s potential impact. “And I know that the people past and present that have received the Four Under 40 awards would be open to having lunch and connecting with people, because we’ve all been there.”

The gala will take place on September 18 at Catalyst by Nature Link in Nisswa. The deadline to register to attend the event is Friday, September 5 at noon.