OKCBiz magazine announced its 2009 Forty Under 40 award winners Oct. 13 at an awards party held at First National Center, and Oklahoma City University's Meinders School of Business gave each of the honorees a $5,000 scholarship.

Event sponsors included First Fidelity Bank and Jackie Cooper Imports who gave each recipient a $1,000 gift certificate toward the purchase of a BMW.

Sponsored by Cox Business, the Forty Under 40 program "recognizes Central Oklahoma individuals under the age of 40 who excel professionally and give back to their community," Bill Bleakley, OKCBiz president and CEO, said.

A panel of local executives selected the 40 winners from the nearly 150 nominations received this year.

"This year's winners are truly representative of the incredible talent pool here in Central Oklahoma. There were so many quality candidates, it was difficult to choose only 40. With fresh ideas, boundless energy and varied passions, this group exemplifies the change and growth we're seeing now, and the successes this community will realize in the near future," Jeffri-Lynn Dyer, OKCBiz executive vice president, said.

The 2009 Forty Under 40 winners are:

Edwin Amaya, The Benham Companies, LLC Stacy Brasher, Back40 Design Philip Busey, Jr., The Busey Group of Companies Brian Bush, OC-Academy of Leadership & Liberty Christy Counts, Central Oklahoma Humane Society Angela Cozby, Arts Council of Oklahoma City Shannon Edwards, TriStar Pension Consulting Megan Elliott, Accel Financial Staffing Brian Eyerman, Skyline Ink Animation Studios Hillary Farrell, Ackerman McQueen Kent Gardner, The Funk Companies Kim Haywood, deadCenter Film Festival Stacey Hedlund, Epiphanea Kyle Hill, Jackie Cooper BMW & MINI Darren Holland, Cox Business Lisa Howard, Attorney Sheradee Hurst, St. Anthony Hospital Ryan Johnson, Norwalk Furniture Kelsey Karper, Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition Bobby Lehew, Robyn Holley Mangham, Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency Zach Martin, Sperry Van Ness Jason Martin, Sonic Corporation Finny Mathew, INTEGRIS Brian Maughan, Oklahoma County Commissioner Aprilhelen Morgan, Art of Yoga Studio and Gallery Shawn Null, First National Bank of Oklahoma Romy Owens, OK Heritage Museum Dennis Packard, Puckett Financial Advisors Ryan Parrott, Iguana Mexican Grill Brad Peltier, Citizen Potawatomi Nation & Firelake Enterprises Daniel Pullin, University of Oklahoma Emily Reagan, Arts Council of Oklahoma City Diana Rogers, Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency Adam Rumsey, MidFirst Bank Andy Sherrer, Republic Bank & Trust Kari Snider, Cicero International Advertising Kristin Vails, Plaza District Association Brian Winkeler, Third Degree Advertising Kenneth Wohl, Jr., Spirit Bank