Erie's 40 Under 40: Class of 2021

It's been a monumental year. Just ask anyone. It's taken a lot to get our community through these months together, and in those relatively dark times, there were people who helped to light the way. The class of 2021 for Erie's 40 Under 40 are some of these people.

Perhaps it's because of the difficulties we faced, then, that we were even more eager to recognize those hardworking people that helped. And recognize them our readers did. We received a record number of nominations this year. It's obvious that there's an ever-growing pool of talented individuals right here close to home.

Erie is a resilient place. We're adaptive and resourceful. So is this class, one filled with artists, dancers, health care workers, teachers, and business owners. They're the people going the extra mile, the ones who are following through with plans and making a positive change in Erie. And hey, do you know someone you'd like to see on this list? Well, our 2022 nominations are now open.

So take a look at some of the people finding creative solutions to get things done. They have packed resumes and bright futures ahead of them, illuminating the path for all of us.

Written by: Jonathan Burdick (JB), Kimberly Firestine (KF), Ally Kutz (AK), Aaron Mook (AM), Ben Speggen (BS), Cara Suppa (CS), Matt Swanseger (MS), Nick Warren (NW), and Jim Wertz (JW).

Photographs by Jessica Hunter.