The pandemic, regulatory changes, inflation, geopolitical turmoil: The last few years have tested leaders in every industry, but the staffing professionals we honor on this year’s annual 40 Under 40 list have faced some unique challenges.
This group of luminaries — many of whom were teenagers or younger during the Great Recession — had few models to emulate as recent circumstances forced them to reinvent service delivery models, fill urgent new staffing needs or calm jittery teams, all while tackling new technology. Each challenge has been a “gut punch,” says Kenny Kadar, the president of Coast Medical Service and an honoree on this year’s list. (You can read his profile and comments in the 40 Under 40 feature, which starts on page 14.) The trials have made Kadar and his fellow rising stars stronger.
And not just stronger. This year’s class is also agile, self-motivated and fiercely determined to advocate for others.
“I wake up each day knowing that this is meaningful work,” honoree Chrystal Fugett, the executive VP of recruitment at Aya Healthcare, says in her profile. “I take that incredibly seriously, and I show up every day bringing my best for my team, our clinicians and our hospitals that we serve.”
As the new executive editor of SIA, I identify with Fugett’s sentiment. Bringing you the right balance of news, research insights and industry analysis is a daunting and inspiring task. I wake up each day knowing it’s meaningful work. I hope to meet you in person in Dallas this September at our tech-focused Collaboration in the Gig Economy conference. You can get more information here: www.collaborationgigeconomy.com. Until then, we’d love to hear what blend of news and analysis you need to do your job better. Don’t hesitate to reach out.
