After a successful launch last year of the Top 20 Under 40 competition, this year’s list once again included some very impressive young professionals. The final vote-getters range from structural engineers to company presidents, and from CEOs to senior project managers.

Individuals were judged on their achievement of/or progress toward industry certifications, including professional licensure or LEED AP; community service; industry involvement; diversity; and contributions to creating landmark regional projects.

Our judges described these California-based candidates “exceptional” and in many cases “great,” and all indicated that there were many tough choices. Judges this year included two returnees: Melody Spradlin, director-South Bay for Dome Construction Corp., San Jose, and Bryn Burke, president/owner of Vertical Constructors Inc., Santa Fe Springs. New judges included Dan Geiger, executive director of the Northern California chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, San Francisco, and Greg Eckstrom, vice president of California Drywall Co., San Jose.

Be sure to find out more about the winners in the Feb. 13 issue of ENR California. And here they are: 

  • Mo Abaza, Gilbane, San Diego
  • Blanca Diaz, Turner Construction, Anaheim
  • James Draper, Shimmick Construction, Irvine
  • Robert Ferrouge, Flatiron, Oakland
  • Vaibhav Govil, AECOM, Oakland
  • Brian Hobbs, Layton Construction, Irvine
  • Mike Hubley, VerTech Engineering, San Luis Obispo
  • Calvin Kam, bimSCORE Inc., Milpitas
  • Jennifer Knudsen, CO Architects, Los Angeles
  • Jeremy Livermore, AECOM, Newport Beach
  • David Montalba, Montalba Architects, Santa Monica
  • Lauren Moss, MYD Studio, Aliso Viejo
  • Zach Murphy, DPR, Redwood City
  • Michael Nelson, Skanska USA, San Jose
  • Luke O’Dea, Uni-Solar, Los Angeles
  • Rose Olson, West Hollywood Community Housing Corp., West Hollywood
  • Armando Ramos, Ramos Consulting Services, San Marino
  • Teresa Ruiz, BAR Architects, San Francisco
  • Lori Ann Stevens, Turner Construction, San Diego
  • Eric Wilson, AECOM, Los Angeles