Ten diverse and passionate leaders have been selected as the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business’ top Young Professionals for 2021 for their work and civic accomplishments.

These business and community leaders – all under the age of 40 – stand out in their career, company or industry.

All clearly love our Tri-City community as they have rolled up their sleeves in a variety of ways to make it a better place.

Each year we seem to say we received a record number of outstanding applications and this year was no different. Our panel of five judges, which included a former Young Professional winner, said they were impressed with the slate of candidates.

Applicants were nominated or were able to self-nominate.

Reviewers ranked them in several categories and then the points were tallied.

Since 2008, we’ve been evaluating applications from the community’s brightest young leaders. To date, we’ve honored 122, including this year’s group.

Contest judges looked for business leaders who went the extra mile outside their workplace in community service, charity work, leadership or community involvement.

This year’s winners are:

• Elizabeth Barnes, executive director, The Children’s Reading Foundation of the Mid-Columbia.
• David J. Billetdeaux, general counsel, Port of Benton.
• Erin M. Braich, transportation planning manager, Benton-Franklin Council of Governments.
• Julie A. Campos, certification analyst, state Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises.
• Kristine I. Cody, staff development consultant, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
• David R. Chavey-Reynaud, chief operations officer, Benton-Franklin Workforce Development Council.
• Rachel M. Fidino, CEO & women’s health nurse practitioner, New U Women’s Clinic & Aesthetics.
• Robert J. Fyfe, field procurement supervisor, Bechtel.
• Jet JT Richardson, executive director, Tri-County Partners Habitat for Humanity.
• Jamie L. Ohl Turner, development officer-annual giving, Kadlec Foundation.

It’s never easy to choose which young leaders to celebrate each year because we always have many outstanding candidates. We encourage those who weren’t selected this year to apply again next year.

To those we singled out in this issue and to all those chosen in years past, we applaud you.

We look forward to watching you continue to grow professionally and personally.

We hope our readers enjoy reading about this year’s winners. We believe you’ll be as impressed with them as we are.

Some of their answers appearing in this special edition have been edited for space.