40 Over 40 nominations now open 🏆
Help us find and celebrate people in our midst who are improving life in Charlotte — and who are aged 40+
Help us find and celebrate people all over Charlotte who are making our city a better place.
It’s that time again: Your favorite Charlotte awards program is back. Yes, we’re talking about The Charlotte Ledger’s 40 Over 40 Awards, Presented by U.S. Bank. Nominations open today.
The 40 Over 40 Awards spotlight people making a real difference in our community during what many would call their “second act.” Across the Charlotte region, countless individuals are quietly improving our quality of life, doing meaningful work without much attention or applause. While other awards tend to focus on rising stars in their 20s and 30s, 40 Over 40 is all about recognizing the experienced, accomplished — and um, seasoned — leaders who keep showing up and getting things done.
If you know someone 40 or older who lives or works in Charlotte and deserves the spotlight, nominate them today. Help us uncover and celebrate the community changemakers who don’t always seek recognition — but absolutely deserve it.
Keep scrolling to learn more about the award, nomination criteria and deadlines.
Perks of being awarded
◼️ Recognition: They’d be joining a seriously impressive group. Our past honorees include some of Charlotte’s sharpest, most accomplished leaders — and this is your chance to add their (or your) name to that list. Winners earn the highly coveted Charlotte Ledger 40 Over 40 Award, full bragging rights and yes, an official certificate you can proudly display in your office (just in case anyone needs reminding).
◼️ Party: We’ll celebrate this year’s class at an in-person event on April 23 at Project 658 in Plaza Midwood. No stuffy banquet with a strict program and unseasoned food. It’s a fun, relaxed chance to meet the people helping to shape the city’s future. Expect good food, drinks, music and plenty of reasons to celebrate — more details coming soon. The event is open to the public and ticketed, so friends, family and coworkers can join the fun.
◼️ Q&As and podcasts with past winners: For the past few years, we’ve been sitting down with our 40 Over 40 honorees to talk about their work, their careers and the lessons they’ve picked up along the way. We’re continuing the tradition this year with the 2026 class — and mining them for pearls of over-40 life wisdom that we later share on The Charlotte Ledger Podcast.
Free to enter, independent judges
To nominate people for the award, as in previous years, there is no fee to enter and you don’t have to be a Ledger subscriber (though we think once you read it, you will want to be). Winners will be chosen by an independent panel of former winners, who do not work for The Ledger or for our event sponsors.
The contest will be overseen by The Charlotte Ledger, the locally owned news publication that’s bringing quality, old-school journalism back to Charlotte in an e-newsletter format. If you need to sign up for The Ledger, which offers free and paid subscription plans, you can do that here:
This contest is (obviously) unaffiliated with any other age-based award program.
Sponsorship opportunities: We’d love to have the support of your company in celebrating these outstanding folks in our midst. If you’d like to help sponsor the event, please reach out to Ava on our team.
Many thanks to our presenting sponsor, U.S. Bank, and to our supporting sponsor, Charlotte ToolBank.
Here’s how the 40 Over 40 Awards work:
Starting today, you can nominate somebody by using this easy entry form. People submitting nominations may be any age, and they may submit as many nominations as they like. We do note that while it’s fine for multiple people to nominate the same person, more nominations do not necessarily mean a better chance of winning. It’s most useful when the additional nomination forms give additional information.
Your nominees must be 40 or older (born on Jan. 19, 1986, or earlier) and live or work in Mecklenburg County.
You must personally know the person you are nominating. The main question asks why you are nominating this person. You’ll want a thoughtful answer, but you can complete the form quickly. You may nominate yourself. The nomination deadline is Friday, Feb. 20, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern.
After nominations close, The Ledger will convene a panel of outstanding, independent judges to review the applications. The judges are chosen for their wisdom and common sense. We will introduce you to them in the next few weeks. No Charlotte Ledger employees or relatives of employees will serve as judges, and sponsors of the event will have no role or influence in the judging and selection process.
Once the winners are chosen, we will notify them individually by early March, verify their information, and then they will be celebrated in a special edition of The Charlotte Ledger in April. We will also honor them at an in-person party in April. Stay tuned for more information about the event.
For those who are nominated but don’t win, there’s good news: Your eligibility to apply for The 40 Over 40 Awards in future years expires only when you do! You’re not punished for slowing your career to raise kids or for spending your 20s and 30s figuring out what the heck to do with your life. And, of course, in future contests, many of The Ledger’s valued under-40 readers will age into eligibility — a welcome and unexpected perk of turning 40.
For the latest news and information about the contest, be sure you are signed up for our e-newsletter.
Questions? Contact support@cltledger.com.
Feel free to spread the word about The Charlotte Ledger’s 40 Over 40 Awards, Presented by U.S. Bank, by sharing this post:
Happy nominating!
—Charlotte Ledger team
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