ABOVE: 4 Under 40 honorees clockwise from top left: Tonya Mortensen, Matt Lange, Betsy Tino and Brittany Anderson.

FAIRMONT– Four new Martin County residents have been recognized as this year’s “Four Under 40” recipients. They are Tonya Mortensen, Betsy Tino, Matt Lange and Brittany Anderson.

The intention of the 4 Under 40 is to recognize emerging leaders in the community. It also serves as a way to support local scouting activities.

Erik Karre, District Director for the Boy Scouts of America Twin Valley Action Council, said, “Part of our program is teaching kids how to be future leaders. This helps us financially to be able to provide programming and resources and everything we need to operate scouting in the area.”

Now in its third year, the program received about a dozen nominations this time around. Anyone can make a nomination. The only requirements to be nominated is that someone is between 18 and 40 and live or work in Martin County.

Karre said a team of seven people, made up of some past honorees and other people in the community, considered the nominations.

“They review them all and talk about them and from there they pick the four they want to focus on this upcoming year. They look a lot at ways they’ve volunteered in the community,” Karre explained.

He said when the nomination form is put out, people know to nominate someone who is an up-and-coming leader in the community.

“We realize these people, being that they’re under 40, might not have a lot of life experiences and a resume that’s a mile long… if you talk to someone in the community who is 70 or 80 years old, they have a lifelong of service to the community. These people don’t,” Karre said.

However, he said it’s that reason why he thinks it’s needed to recognize people who are getting involved and on their way to doing more for the community.

“It’s important to continue this for the same reason we started it. There are people doing good things in the community who are young and often times they’re overlooked for recognition,” Karre said.

The first year recipients were Benjamin Landsteiner, Kaleena Wiens, Blake Potthoff and Laura Olsen. Last year’s recipients were Stephanie Busiahn, Jen Kahler, Hubble Werre and Linsey Preuss.

Mortensen is owner/funeral director at Lakeview Funeral Home in Fairmont; Tino is the owner of Minuteman Press in Fairmont; Lange is a paramedic with Mayo clinic ambulance service; Anderson is partner and president at Sweet Financial in Fairmont.

The recognition event will be held on Tuesday, March 14 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Fairmont. Detailed articles on each of the honorees will come out ahead of the event.