Tuesday night will be a big night for the talented people in the spotlight for the Current Young Professionals group’s Future 15 awards. This annual celebration of promise and potential is not only a big deal for the 15 stars being honored by the Greater Green Bay Chamber’s young professionals group, it’s a big deal for the entire community.
While you may not be in attendance to celebrate the best and brightest Green Bay has to offer, there are a lot of great reasons you should care about the folks Current is shining a bright light on this year.
First off, this great group of professionals represents the future that is taking shape in this community. While some chambers of commerce struggle to involve young professionals, the Current group is a great example of how a traditional business-focused operation can infuse itself with youth and vitality. With more than 1,700 members and more than 100 corporate members, Current has developed a remarkable brand in this community.
“Future 15 & Young Professional Awards was launched five years ago as a way to showcase the contributions made by young professionals in our community, and to acknowledge the accomplishments of those that are going above and beyond to make an impact in their industries,” said Brian Johnson, who leads the charge as the program manager for Current-Young Professionals. “The quality of talent in Greater Green Bay has exceeded our expectations and we are truly fortunate to have this type of commitment from young professionals, entrepreneurs and employers who are enriching the lives of residents and elevating the overall quality of life.”
Current has grown by leaps and bounds in the past five years, and Johnson said the group saw a 30 percent increase in membership last year. While some young professional groups are little more than happy hour social clubs, Current is a cut above. With more than 40 events and 3,500 participants, Current is riding a spectacular wave of success.
In the spirit of full disclosure, the Green Bay Press-Gazette is a media sponsor of the Future 15 Young Professional Awards, so we can’t claim to be an unbiased observer. A special 12-page section devoted to the Future 15 candidates appeared in last Sunday’s Press-Gazette, and if you missed the section, you missed a lot. Profiles of the 15 young professionals who will be considered for the top awards at Tuesday’s gala were included in the section, which you can find on greenbaypressgazette.com.
The Academy Awards will roll out the red carpet Sunday night for Hollywood’s elite for the Oscars. While many will tune in to find out what the stars are wearing and who wins the big awards, if you care about Green Bay’s future and the people who make local businesses and the community rock, Tuesday night’s Future 15 soirée has plenty of appeal. More than 500 people will turn out to recognize the Future 15, and we salute all the businesses who support this impressive event and the great young leaders who are shaping Green Bay’s future.
