40 Under Forty 2024 Alumni Achievement Award
2024 Finalists Continue to Lead by Example
Left to right: Andrew Melendez, Meghan Rothschild, Payton Shubrick, and Craig Swimm
In 2015, BusinessWest introduced a new award, an extension of its 40 Under Forty program. It’s called the Alumni Achievement Award (AAA), and as that name suggests, it recognizes previous 40 Under Forty honorees who continue to build on their résumés of outstanding achievement in their chosen field and in service to the community.
Along with honoring one winner (or, on a couple of occasions, two) each year, the program also gives us a chance to visit with, and write about, several finalists each year — which gives our readers an opportunity to read about the interesting and impactful things going on in their lives. After all, for most 40 Under Forty alums, that award recognizes only the beginning stages of where their paths will take them.
So read the links below for the subsequent, and often surprising, chapters in the lives of Andrew Melendez, Meghan Rothschild, Payton Shubrick, and Craig Swimm. These four were chosen by a panel of three independent judges among this year’s AAA nominees. The same judges were then tasked with agreeing on the ultimate winner, who will be revealed at the 18th annual 40 Under Forty Gala on Thursday, June 20 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield.
As the profiles that begin on page 5 reveal, these four finalists truly embody the spirit of this award. Their stories convey leadership, ongoing commitment to the region’s economic and civic life, and an ability to pivot and evolve as opportunities present themselves. They are, in a word, inspiring.
Special thanks to Health New England for its continued sponsorship of the Alumni Achievement Award.
Andrew Melendez
Founder, Latino Economic Development Corp
Meghan Rothschild
President and Owner, Chikmedia
Payton Shubrick
Founder and CEO, 6 Brick’s LLC
Craig Swimm
Senior Vice President, Audacy Springfield
