Under 40 Award Winners Announced

(BEDFORD) – This year is the inaugural Bedford Young Professionals 4 Under 40 Awards were hosted by The Bedford Young Professionals Group affiliated through the Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce and were announced at the “Bring Your Boss to Lunch” at the Downtown Depot.

This year’s winners are a charismatic, passionate, hardworking, and giving group of individuals.

They are:

Christopher Johnson- CEO of JA Benefits

Nick Wiess- Owner and Dentist at Atrium Dental

Sandi Brinson- Account Executive/ Director of HR Solutions at JA Benefits

Nathan Watson- Director of Operations at the Bedford Public Library

They will receive their awards at the annual chamber dinner on Friday, August 23.

These awards help to recognize 4 young professionals, ages 21-40, for their exemplary contributions to the community through leadership in the community, leadership in the workplace, future goals and likely impact, and achievements as an individual or part of a group.

Nominees were scored on a rubric based on the aforementioned qualities.

Andrew McCart 

The lunch guest speaker was Andrew McCart Clinical Assistant Professor, Program Director, Healthcare Leadership and Health Professions Education at Louisville University.  

He spoke to the group about positive thinking.  His speech focused on the Inverse Paranoia  He also spoke to the group about how to switch your self thinking from being an inner critic to become an inner coach instead. Andrew encouraged the group to be on alert for the A.N.T.S (automatic negative thoughts) and the traps they can cause. 

Some of the A.N.T.S were:

  • Using the words always and never
  • Focusing on a negative in situations
  • Being a mind reader  and assuming the worst of someone
  • Guilt-tripping yourself by feeling you “should have” or “ought to”
  • Labeling your actions to be stupid 

Andrew McCart concluded his motivational speech by stating “everyone wants a piece of you.”  He cautioned the group to set boundaries to allow them to have self-time.