Last week we celebrated the passion and determination of the business and community leaders we are grateful to have here in ‪‎Oakland County at the 2015 Elite 40 Awards Ceremony. The event, held on April 16th at Lockhart’s BBQ in Royal Oak, brought together members of the Oakland County Executive Elite 40 Under 40™ class of 2015 and their guests for a night of networking and recognition.

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Oakland County CIO and Deputy County Executive Phil Bertolini, along with Deputy County Executive Matt Gibb addressed the crowd, emphasizing that this year’s class represented innovators, leaders and thinkers who are touching lives every day. They encouraged them to get involved with other county programs and to give their recommendations to improve the quality of life in Oakland County.

“You Elite 40 are the best of the best that Oakland County has to offer. We’d stack you up against anyone in the country,” Bertolini proclaimed at the event. “We look forward to working with you next year and beyond.”

The Elite 40 are engaged and energetic, improving our quality of life as they shape the future of Oakland County and our region. Each class member was recognized for their accomplishments and contributions to the community before being presented with their Elite 40 award.

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Following the awards presentation, the Elite 40 enjoyed an intimate night of networking and discussing how they could work best work together to contribute to the future of Oakland County and the region. The evening was a great success, thanks to the generous support of our 2015 Elite 40 Awards Ceremony sponsors, Redico and the Detroit Regional Chamber. Leadership Oakland has also been a significant partner for the Elite 40 Program, as both programs share many of the same dynamic class members.

The Oakland County Executive’s Elite 40 Under 40™ program, an initiative of L. Brooks Patterson, celebrates its fourth year as the region’s leading award program, amassing an impressive 160 top leaders under the age of 40 who excel in their various industries and live or work (many times both) in Oakland County. For more information about the Elite 40 Program, please visit AdvantageOakland.com, and stay connected with the class members on Facebook and Twitter with #Elite40.