Announcing BusinessWest’s 2026 40 Under Forty
40 Under Forty was launched in 2007 to honor young professionals in Western Massachusetts, not only for their career achievements, but for their service to the community. Winners hail from a host of different industries. Many are advancing the work of long-established businesses, while others have created their own entrepreneurial opportunities.
Meet the class of 2026 and read their stories below.
You can view the interactive flipbook HERE
CELEBRATE THE CLASS OF 2026!
Join Us on June 11th at The Mass Mutual Center
Presenting Sponsor:
Partner Sponsors:
Meet the Judges
This year’s judges — all 40 Under Forty alumni themselves — were chosen to reflect the program’s 20-year breadth.
When Patrick Leary was named to the inaugural 40 Under Forty cohort in 2007, he was a partner with Moriarty & Primack, P.C. That firm is now MP CPAs, where Leary is a shareholder, directing accounting and auditing services and working with closely held and family-owned businesses providing advisory services in a wide variety of industries, including construction, distribution, and manufacturing.
Scott Foster was named to the fifth 40 Under Forty class in 2011, as an attorney with Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas. Now a partner with Bulkley Richardson, he has represented startups, angel investors, and venture capital groups, as well as corporations in industries like precision manufacturing, high-growth technology, commercial food production, and multi-family residential housing.
Shannon Rudder was director of MotherWoman Inc. when she joined the 10th 40 Under Forty class in 2016. Today, she is president and CEO of Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services, leading innovative programs in educational enrichment, public health, youth leadership, food access, family support, and economic opportunity, empowering individuals, youth, and families to overcome barriers and lead purposeful, liberated lives.
Matthew Kushi was chosen for the 15th edition of 40 Under Forty in 2021 in his role as academic matters coordinator of Graduate and Professional Programs for the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, and for his success as owner of Kushi Farm and North Hadley Chili Pepper Co. Today, as academic advisor of Graduate Programs at Isenberg — and on the farm — he remains busy in both worlds.
Representing the most recent cohort of 40 Under Forty honorees, from the class of 2025, Tori Thompson has forged a successful career as vice president and head of Internal Audit for PeoplesBank, spearheading a critical line of defense for the institution — while also being recognized internally by the bank for her volunteerism and dedication to community causes.
