SFNet's 40 Under 40 Awards 2026
The future of secured finance is powered by fresh ideas, bold leadership, and a commitment to lasting impact. The SFNet 40 Under 40 Awards awards spotlight trailblazers who inspire colleagues, foster collaboration, and bring new energy to the markets we serve. And the impact goes beyond the honorees. Every year’s 40 Under 40 class becomes part of a legacy that motivates teams, builds connections across organizations, and galvanizes industry-wide progress.
We will accept nominations for the 2026 Awards from December 8 through February 1, 2026. Nominees and nominators must be employed by an SFNet member organization. Not sure if your organization is a member? Click here to confirm.
Winners will be announced in March 2026. They will be honored in the June 2026 issue of The Secured Lender and celebrated at our 2026 40 Under 40 Awards Gala in New York City on June 11.
2026 Awards Committee Chair
We were delighted to welcome back Jennifer Wallace, Loan Portfolio Manager at Wells Fargo Capital Finance and 2020 40 Under 40 Award recipient, as our 2026 Awards Chair.
2026 40 Under 40 Awards Gala
Our Gala will be held at the iconic Plaza Hotel in Manhattan. Join us as we celebrate the 2026 winners.
Past Award Winners
SFNet 40 Under 40 Award winners represent the best and the brightest in the industry.
2026 Categories
| Business Consulting/Turnaround | Liquidation/Appraisal/Auctioneer |
| CPA Firm | Loan Documentation/Advice on Deal Structure |
| Credit Insurance | Operations |
| External Field Exam | Portfolio/Risk Management |
| Internal Field Exam | Software |
| Investment Banker/Advisor | UCC Services/Background Investigations |
| Legal Services | Underwriting |
Rules/Form
To submit a nomination (starting December 8), click here. Please include a 250-500 word nomination letter explaining why your nominee should be considered for this award. If you experiences any issues with the awards site, contact Michele Ocejo at mocejo@sfnet.com.
Be sure to include:
- Career achievements
- Leadership skills with examples (utilizing this definition as a guide: “The ability to create a vision and influence, motivate, inspire and transform others to achieve certain goals towards that vision.”)
- Community and/or industry activities (such as charity work, coaching community sports, pro bono work)
- Involvement with SFNet and the secured finance community (articles written, chapter involvement, work on SFNet committees, etc.)
Nominees must not turn 40 before June 11, 2026. Nominators must be the direct supervisor or manager of the nominee. Nominees and nominators must be employed by an SFNet member organization. For information on becoming an SFNet member
organization, please contact James Kravitz at jkravitz@sfnet.com.
Explain the direct impact this individual has had on your company and/or the industry
(with objective, concrete criteria, for example, if the candidate is in business development, the revenue they have generated, number of deals closed, etc.)
In addition to the letter, nominators are strongly encouraged to submit a video (no more than 5 minutes) of themselves speaking about the nominee to supplement the information supplied in the nomination letter. Note: the substance is more important than the quality of the video.
Attach the nominee’s resume or include a link to the nominee’s LinkedIn profile in the letter of nomination. ONE of these is REQUIRED. You may also attach optional published articles written by the nominee. Incomplete nominations will not be accepted. If you are not notified within 24 hours that your nomination was received, contact Michele Ocejo at mocejo@sfnet.com.
FAQs
When do nominations open?
Nominations will open November 2025. The deadline for submissions is February 1, 2026.
Can I call you or send you an email with the name of the person I'd like to nominate?
You must submit a completed nomination form, including contact information for the person you are nominating. A nomination letter as well as the nominee’s resume or LinkedIn profile is also required.
I want to nominate someone, can I remain anonymous?
Anonymous nominations will not be accepted. Nominator information will not be shared or made publicly available.
Can I nominate myself?
We do not accept self-nominations.
I want to nominate my boss but would it be better if someone higher up nominated him? Can I nominate a family member?
A nominator must be a senior leader or manager in the same SFNet member organization as the nominee. All nominations must provide clear, business-oriented reasons for the nomination, regardless of the relationship between nominator and nominee.
Does it help if many people nominate the same person?
Evidence of an organized nominations campaign will be viewed negatively.
Will more than one nominee from the same company be accepted?
Yes, all qualifying nominations will be accepted.
What is required of those who are selected?
Winners must provide a photo and profile (see last year’s profiles HERE). We encourage all winners to attend the ceremony.
Can I contact you to see how my nominee is doing in the judging process?
We will not provide status reports. Should we need any additional information, we will contact the nominee or nominator.
I was not selected for an SFNet 40 Under 40 Award. Will you tell me why?
With only 40 slots available each year and such a large, competitive industry, many deserving nominees are not selected. Not being chosen does not diminish the nominee’s achievements, and nominators are welcome to resubmit their candidate in a subsequent year.
