Without question, some of the most innovative minds and driven personalities have created the high-brightness LED industry and led a revolution in lighting in just two decades. Many of those pioneers are now retired or preparing to do so, but we at LEDs Magazine can assure you that the LED and solid-state lighting (SSL) sectors will enjoy continued innovation and evolution with the new roster of professionals under 40 years of age. Our first 40 Under 40 Class includes professionals in roles ranging from research & development (R&D) to product development to lighting specification/design.
These up-and-coming leaders are being recognized for their contributions to their own organizations and to the industry via participation in activities such as standards development and education.
We began the selection process by opening nominations to industry professionals who were asked to identify worthy participants and to submit a short essay explaining why the nominee should be considered. Subsequently, our team reviewed each and every nomination, gathered additional information in many cases, and now we are announcing the Class. Please join us in celebrating the 40 Under 40, presented in random order. Each profile is linked below, with a navigation link back to this main page.
ROBERT SOLER — Co-founder and vice president of R&D, BIOS Lighting
ERICO MATTOS — Executive director, GLASE
KANDICE COHEN — Director of lighting strategy, Trane Technologies
MURALI MOHAN DEVARAJULU — Owner, LS Consulting
STEVE GRAVES — Vice president of business development, Fluence Bioengineering
JARED (JD) DAVIDSON — Vice president of the Americas, Seoul Semiconductor
INDIKA PERERA — Research scientist, Lighting Research Center
KIM JOHNSON — Director of marketing, Igor
MASON BARKER — Vice president of product development, Luminii
ISAAC WILDESON — Senior director of epitaxy technology R&D, Lumileds
DRAKE BRASKI — Co-founder of VentorLux
JACOB STEINBRECHER — Associate research scientist, Dow Inc.
SERGE GOUNTAS — Director of the automation and electrical department, Showman Fabricators
RICHARD HALL — LED systems engineer, LumenFocus
CHARLES JARBOE — Lead research specialist, Lighting Research Center
KURT LIEPMANN — Senior illumination applications engineer, Osram Opto Semiconductors
JELMER SANDERS — Product manager, LED modules, Signify
ANDREAS KREUSS — CEO, LED Technics Germany
JOE CULLUMBER — President, Brilled Lighting
EKAMDEEP SINGH — CEO, IKIO LED Lighting
KORY LISZT — Software engineering manager, Cree Lighting
MICHAEL DEMAS — Vice president of operations, Fusion Optix
ROBERT DEMPSEY — Scenic sales manager, Environmental Lights
JORDON MUSSER — Senior director, LED products and technology, Flex Lighting Solutions
BASAR ERDENER — Director of marketing and product management, LED Linear USA
MICHAEL KERSHNER — Founder, Innovative Lighting Consultants
TIMO BONGARTZ — General manager, Fluence Bioengineering
AARON VAN DAMME — General manager, Nichia
TREVOR VOGT — Director of engineering, Gamma Scientific
ANDREW SMITH — Marketing manager, Seoul Semiconductor
CLIFTON MANAHAN — Senior associate, HLB Lighting Design, Inc.
ANDERSEN ZAPATA — Founder and CEO, Lighting of Tomorrow
MICHAEL HENNESSY — CEO, Wavelength Lighting
JON SARAFINAS — Director of engineering, Lumenpulse
DANIEL BÅNKESTAD — Research & development engineer, Heliospectra
JAKE ENGLE — Lighting application specialist, Energy Systems Group
SHIVANGI ARVIND — Chief science officer, AgEye Technologies
CAMERON OVEISI — Business development manager, Ledrabrands
DAVE GRASSI — Optical engineering manager, Lumenpulse
CHRISTOPHER HARTSWICK — Co-founder and chief product officer, Ideoli Group
Congratulations to this year's 40 Under 40 Class. We thank all those who took the time to nominate someone for the program and to deliver the praise that made it so difficult for our team to select the honorees. We very much look forward to the bright future for these honorees, as well as the energy, innovation, determination, and creativity they bring to the LED and SSL community.
