Utah's rising stars.

• Position: 2016 FORTY UNDER 40

The careers of our Forty Under 40 honorees have been roller coasters--spanning the sharp drop of the Great Recession, the painfully slow recovery and the quick economic acceleration of the past two years. These resilient leaders took the hard lessons learned from the downturn and used them to build stronger, more efficient businesses. They kept their sights set on ambitious goals--and reached them. Please join us in a round of applause for this year's admirable Forty Under 40 honorees.

Cori Swisher Anderson--32

Marketing Manager, R&O Construction

Current Role: Cori Anderson has a background in nonprofit marketing and development. At R&O, Anderson lends her experience in writing proposals, managing marketing campaigns, design and layout, and social media marketing.

Market Evolution: Post-recession, Anderson says R&O has been able to focus on winning projects that aligns with its goals. "As a marketer, this shift has been really fun. It's meant that we can embark on a re-branding campaign, cultivate client relationships that result in signature projects and focus on thriving in the areas where we really shine," she says,

First Job: "My first real job after college was in non-profit fundraising. I think every young person should work for a non-profit. You learn to make miracles happen with zero resources, I've never quite gotten over the mentality that every dollar you spend on administrative expenses is a dollar that can't be spent on an organization's mission."

"I love my work because it is constantly changing my perspective. Everyday I'm challenged to shift the way I look at the work my company does and figure out the best way to align it with our clients' needs. It's really fun for me to work out how those puzzle pieces go together and, ultimately, it is very fulfilling."

Josh Baxter--37

Executive Vice President, Global Services; LANDESK Software

Accomplishments: Josh Baxter has overseen LANDESK's expansion into Australia, China, France and Southern Europe, along with building operations in Poland and China. Every year since 2011, he has achieved over 100 percent of his $100 million annual sales target. In 2013 Baxter founded the Thoma Bravo Customer Success & Services Summit.

Overcoming Challenges: "As we entered our relationship with Thoma Bravo, I was given the opportunity to streamline and operationalize big portions of the LANDESK business. By helping my team understand the vision, how we would leverage those profits for future growth, and showing them a path to success, we have been able to become the 'blueprint' for Thoma Bravo Global Services organizations. Each of my staff has become the go-to person for sharing best practices throughout the Thoma Bravo portfolio in their respective areas of expertise."

First Job: "I milked cows when I was 14-15 years old. Few things will encourage a young man to get an education like milking cows at 4 am in January."

"Early in my career my thirst for achievement was fed by leaders and mentors who were always willing to offer me new challenges. Today, I'm blessed to be that leader who gets to mentor and develop others."

Chad Bennett--35

CEO, HEROIC

Current Role: Bennett is the founder and CEO of HEROIC, an enterprise-level cybersecurity provider offering a security portal for home users to protect their sensitive information on wireless devices. He is also chairman of Lancera, a cybersecurity company he founded in 2011.

Accomplishments: A self-taught coder who began writing software at the age of 14, Bennett has been the CEO of two Inc. 500 companies, His companies have garnered much interest and accolades, including UVEF's Top 25 Under 5, Utah Valley Magazine's 10 Startups to Watch 2015, and Utah Angel's Tech X Top Ten, In his companies, Bennett is proud to have created employment opportunities for hundreds of people. He is also an Ironman Triathlon finisher.

Role Model: "Ross Perot is my business role model.... Ross Perot always stood up for what he felt was right, even with his reputation and money on the line. Although he had many devastating losses, he consistently picked himself up and continued to move forward. He believed in himself."

"An ethical business values integrity more than anything else. It provides an honest service or product of real value to its employees, customers and the communities it serves in. It also recognizes that business is not a zero-sum game and acts accordingly."

Scott Bird--32

Co-founders and Managing Partners, Olympus Wealth Management

Accomplishments: Scott Bird, Matt Krull and Scott Poelman all previously worked at J.P Morgan's Private Bank before realizing they possessed complementary skills and decided to form Olympus Wealth Management. Krull was the market director for Investment Services at J.P. Morgan, responsible for overseeing approximately 20 employees and $1 billion in assets under supervision. Bird worked at J.P. Morgan for seven years as an analyst, associate, and a vice president and private banker. Poelman worked at J.P. Morgan's Private Bank for three years as a private banker, helping numerous clients manage liquidity events, including two of the largest in Utah's history. At Olympus, the three work with high-net and ultra-high-net-worth clients.

Scott Poelman's Hobby: A health and fitness enthusiast, Poelman has gone 17 years without eating a dessert. At his wedding, instead of partaking in his own wedding cake, Poelman refrained and instead ate a wedding banana.

Scott Bird's First Job: "I was able to convince the Ogden Standard-Examiner and my parents to give me a paper route at the age of 11. I remember getting up early in the morning to fold papers, put them on my bike, deliver the paper, and then collect money every month. It was definitely not my favorite job, but I did begin to understand the importance of hard work from a young age,"

Scott Poelman--38

Matt Krull--38

"If you are not absorbing and digesting information real time, then you are at a disadvantage. As a result of real time information, the markets became more efficient and therefore clients need more than a broker. Clients need a team of individuals who can not only manage investments and risk, but a team who can provide sophisticated planning and first-class service."--Matt Krull

Tim Brown, Jr.--38

President, Rain Gutter Specialties / RGS Construction and Exteriors

Accomplishments: Tim Brown, Jr. is the fourth generation in his industry; he became partners with his father in 2003 and helped increase revenue for the company by a factor of 10. He serves on the steering committee for the national Certified Contractors Network and on the boards of the Utah Home Builders Association and the Salt Lake Home Builders Association.

Industry Evolution: Brown says the industry has changed a lot in the years after the Great Recession. Work has picked up, but now qualified employees are difficult to find. "I think the way we adapt is constant learning and training. We spend a lot of time and money as a company in training," he says.

First Job: "I have only had one job my entire life. Rain Gutter Specialties."

"In the Great Recession, we took a huge hit as construction was the hardest hit in Utah. We dug in, worked hard and have become a more profitable company. We implemented great systems to keep us efficient and have happy customers."

Reed W. Chase--39

Audit Partner, Tanner LLC

Current Role: Reed Chase currently serves as a president of the MountainWest Capital Network and is on the advisory board of the Weber State University School of Accountancy. He is a member of both the AICPA and the UACPA.

Rewards of the Job: "One of the most rewarding things I do is coaching and mentoring people I work with. I have been fortunate to have great coaches and mentors throughout my career so far and find great fulfillment working with other professionals to achieve their goals, In the end, it comes down to people. I thoroughly enjoy the professionals and the clients I have the opportunity to work with."

Favorite Utah Diversion: "Canyoneering in Southern Utah. It is a rejuvenating combination of surreal beauty, physical and mental exertion and a little bit of adrenaline!"

"A good leader doesn't focus on business, a good leader focuses on people. He or she understands that when you take care of people, people take care of business."

Ryan Creamer--39

CEO, sPower

Accomplishments: During Ryan Creamer's tenure as CEO, sPower has accumulated 150+ renewable energy products in both the United States and United Kingdom. Creamer created a lightweight building material called Flexcrete during his senior year in the University of Utah's engineering program. He patented the product, and went on to co-found ISG Resources. There, he oversaw the science, material design and manufacturing of Flexcrete. Creamer went on to co-found sPower with his father in 2012 and oversaw the company's acquisition of more than a gigawatt of energy contracts. sPower designed, constructed, owns and operates over $1 billion in renewable energy products.

What He Enjoys: "The energy of the industry--literally and figuratively. Renewable energy and the possibility of energy independence make me feel good about going to work and working hard every day. And the industry itself is made up of young, passionate and talented professionals."

Favorite Utah Diversion: "Outdoor recreation with my wife and three daughters--enjoying a powder day at Alta or boating on Lake Powell; both are at the top of my list. Utah is an amazing place to live!"

"I believe that each of us has something that can be shared, whether talents, wealth, knowledge or time."

Eric Evans--33

Director, Tax; PwC

Accomplishments: Eric Evans is part of PwC's Rockies Market Advisory Council, which engages with PwC leaders to discuss staff concerns and facilitate staff-level focus groups--an effort that helps PwC priorities its people in the same way it prioritizes its clients. Evans also has taken an active role in recruiting the firm's...