A celebratory banquet, set for 7 p.m. at The Villa in Tyler, will feature an awards ceremony where all 40 Under Forty winners will be announced.

Young, influential leaders across East Texas will be celebrated for the impact they’ve made in their communities at ETX View Magazine’s 40 Under Forty community gala Friday.

The celebratory banquet, set for 7 p.m. at The Villa in Tyler, will feature an awards ceremony where all 40 winners will be announced. ETX View partnered with the Young Professionals of Longview and Tyler Young Professionals Network for the inaugural 40 Under Forty contest, aiming to showcase young professionals who have achieved success and excelled in their field of expertise before the age of 40.

Winners in each category of industry were chosen through a nomination and voting process held earlier this fall. East Texans nominated thousands of young professionals who demonstrate leadership and show dedication in their careers and community service. The top three nominees then moved on to a voting phase where residents cast ballots for those they believed to be most deserving of the award.

Alyssa Purselley-Hankins, regional advertising director for ETX View and M. Roberts Media, said she cannot thank the community enough for its tremendous support of this first-year event.

“After receiving more than 16,000 nominations, the community continued to show support to these young professionals casting just shy of 43,000 votes selecting the winners for our 40 Under Forty awards ceremony,” she said. “These finalists we are celebrating have accomplished something extraordinary in their field – so extraordinary they have received recognition from peers, colleagues and family.”

Justin Wilcox, publisher of ETX View and senior vice president of M. Roberts Media, also gave credit to the East Texas community for allowing organizers to bring this event to fruition.

“We are overwhelmed and humbled by such a large response during our inaugural event,” Wilcox said. “We are thankful for having the audience reach and products in both print and digital forms to make this event happen. Congratulations to all of the nominees.”

The banquet will feature entertainment from Pete’s Dueling Pianos and all attendees will be treated to a meal provided by Azalea Catering Co. of Tyler and sponsored by CHRISTUS Health.

CBS 19 anchor Shardae LaRae will be the emcee for the evening.

Each of the 40 winners will also be profiled in a commemorative edition of ETX View which will be released on Sunday.

All nominees, their guests and employers are invited to attend Friday’s banquet at 7891 Hwy. 110 North in Tyler.

The event is sponsored by CHRISTUS Health, Nursery Supplies, Inc., Ariana Thompson with Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation, The Tutoring Center, Tyler Trophy, The Genecov Group, Smelley Enterprises, The Crutcher & Hartley Team – RE/MAX Properties, The Mortgage House, Samaritan Servants International, Brookshire Grocery Company, Face Studio WOW!, East Texas Symphony Orchestra, East Texas Baptist University, Retire Smart of East Texas Ross & Shoalmire, Integrity Financial, Advanta, Texas Farm Credit, Altra Federal Credit Union, Jose Sanchez Law Firm, P.C., Roberts and Roberts Law Firm, Romph and Pou Agency, M. Roberts Digital and Longview Too AMBUCS.

ETX View is a bi-monthly magazine that celebrates the best of East Texas life and culture. Its award-winning writers, photographers and designers showcase dynamic stories of the people, events and trends that represent the community. ETX View is a product of M. Roberts Media, the parent company of the Tyler Morning Telegraph and the Longview News-Journal. The magazine is inserted into newspapers for Tyler and Longview subscribers and is available on stands at more than 60 locations across East Texas. For more information, visit ETXView.com.