CANTON ‒ The best and brightest young professionals from Stark County don’t always flee for so-called greener pastures.
Many remain or return — or even settle here from elsewhere — determined to make their mark in Stark and better the community.
The Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce’s ystark! and the Canton Repository on Friday announced the 2025 class of the Twenty under 40! program, which recognizes 20 outstanding, emerging leaders each year who are under the age of 40.
This is the 18th year.
The program honors young professionals for their business acumen, leadership, commitment to the community, volunteerism, and personal and professional achievements.
These young business and civic leaders are among the most talented in the community, and they have decided to call Stark County home.
“This year’s Twenty under 40! class exemplifies a deep commitment to Stark County,” Leadership Stark County Executive Director Tracy Nicodemo said. “Their dedication to both the community and its future is evident in the passion they bring to their work. These individuals are not just contributors — they are invested leaders shaping the next chapter of our county’s growth and success.”
Meet the 2025 class of Twenty under 40! honorees
The 2025 class of Twenty under 40! honorees are:
- Kylee Crislip, 34, senior director, outpatient behavioral health services at CommQuest Services
- Alexandra Dowell, 31, marketing and event manager at Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland & East Central Ohio
- Eric Dublikar, 39, vice president, business development (East) at Employers Health
- Joanna Escobar, 30, president and CEO of Stark Si Se Puede
- Danielle Fontes, 39, agency manager at Comparion Insurance Agency, a Liberty Mutual Company
- Dr. Katie Gamby, 34, CEO and founder of The Wellife
- Ida Gorman, 34, assistant high school principal at Claymont City Schools
- Abbi Grabowski, 27, nail technician at The Hair Shoppe
- Allison Harvey, 30, government relations and grants manager at Habitat for Humanity East Central Ohio
- Adam Lintz, 37, director, business insurance at Schauer Group
- Molly McDougal, 32, creative director at TKG
- Sarah Meyer, 35, product manager in spherical roller bearings at the Timken Co.
- Connor Orban, 35, owner and CEO at ReliaRide Transportation
- Quinn Parker, 36, principal at GDK & Co.
- Andre Payne, 39, dean and associate professor, Division of Business and Technologies, at MaloneUniversity
- Kelly Piero, 36, manager of marketing strategy and key initiatives at SOPREMA
- Brandon Rohrer, 32, guest operations manager at the Massillon Museum
- Chad Sinkovich, 28, accounting manager at Employers Health
- Panther Spurlin, 35, community health worker, community advocate and liaison
- Rachel Van Dyke, 35, director of programming at the Legacy Project of Stark
Each Twenty under 40! honoree will be profiled by the Canton Repository
The Twenty under 40! selection committee is comprised of Stark County business and community leaders representing a variety of industry sectors. ystark! is a department of the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce dedicated to growing young professionals.
The program is sponsored by Employers Health; Aultman; TKG; Krugliak, Wilkins, Griffiths & Dougherty Co.; Pro Football Hall of Fame; Habitat for Humanity East Central Ohio; and Schauer Group.
The Canton Repository will once again recognize these individuals on the front page and at CantonRep.com weekdays leading up to the awards celebration, which will be held at 6 p.m. June 11 at the Cultural Center for the Arts in Canton.
The profiles, which begin Monday, will include photos of the honorees and them sharing what inspires them, the best advice they’ve ever received and why they love Stark County.
For more details or reservations to the awards ceremony, go to: www.cantonchamber.org/ystark-young-professionals.
Rick Armon is managing editor of the Canton Repository and Massillon Independent. He can be reached at 330-580-8310 or rarmon@cantonrep.com.
Based in New York, Stephen Freeman is a Senior Editor at Trending Insurance News. Previously he has worked for Forbes and The Huffington Post. Steven is a graduate of Risk Management at the University of New York.