We have never claimed that choosing an influencer, or in this case a 50 under 40 nominee, was easy. But what we haven’t told you is that each year the selection process is getting progressively harder. Candidates seem to be better qualified with each passing year and the numbers of high-caliber men and women seem to increase exponentially as well. The number of applications we received this year was probably a record for us, each one highly credentialed. So in addition to qualifications we also look for intangible features such as integrity, an orientation to the community and, this year in particular, resiliency. The economy and the commercial real estate sector, simply put, is tough right now and it takes more than just market intelligence to make it. We are confident that the men and women we selected for this year’s 50 under 40 have what it takes to navigate these challenges.