More than a dozen Brock alumni and two Brock students have each earned a spot on an annual list of Niagara business leaders.

Business Link Media Group has announced the recipients of the 15th annual Top 40 Under Forty Business Achievement Awards, which celebrate and honour 40 individuals under the age of 40 who greatly contribute to Niagara’s growth and development.

Among the 16 Brock community members recognized for their business prowess is alumna Kristina Gottli (BA ’12), a project manager at St. Catharines marketing firm Form & Affect.

Gottli credits her Brock experience and education for helping her find a career where she thrives.

“Brock’s reputation and reach within the region truly helped me gain skills during my undergraduate degree that I carried with me into my employment post-graduation,” she said.

During her time at Brock, Gottli found great value in the experiential learning opportunities offered by the Business Communication program. Class projects saw her connecting with Niagara businesses to develop communication plans and innovative marketing strategies, which netted her an internship with the This is My Niagara campaign.

Gottli’s positive contributions to the program and her excellent academic engagement led to her receiving the Outstanding Contribution to Business Convocation Award at convocation, after winning first place in the 2012 Grant Dobson Case Competition earlier that year.

Gottli hails from a family of proud Brock alumni. Her mother Julia Gottli (BA ’10) studied sociology and worked for the University until retirement in 2014; her sister Katherine Gottli (BA ’10, MEd ’13) studied education; and her brother Joseph Gottli (BBA ’09) works in Brock’s Registrar’s office as a multi-media web specialist/recruitment officer.

“When the time came to pick a school that would give me the best possible career opportunities, Brock was a given,” Kristina Gottli said. “My family members who studied at Brock have all gone on to have great success in their fields and now I am proudly paving my own path.”

Gottli will celebrate her accomplishments with 15 fellow Brock community members, who were also recognized this year with business achievement awards.

They include:

• Jennifer L. Barraza (BSc ’09), learning and development specialist at CAA Niagara
• Jean S. Beaton (BA ’06), lawyer at Lancaster Brooks & Welch LLP
• Ryan Bissonnette (BAcc ’06), partner at Root Bissonnette Walker LLP
• Patrick Chapman (BSM ’04), owner of Relentless MMA and Fitness
• Kristi J. Collins (BA ’02), associate at Lancaster Brooks & Welch LLP
• Michelle Cuthbert (BA ’09), corporate communications officer at the City of Port Colborne
• Jason D. Fast (BSM ’15), advisor at C.R. Smith Financial Services Inc.
• Shadab H. Khan (BAcc ’02), franchise owner of Ledgers
• Caroline L. Sherk (BA ’16), insurance broker at Verge Insurance Group
• Carolyn M. Teutenberg (BAcc ’05), manager at Durward Jones Barkwell & Company LLP
• Rick Nero (BAcc ’04), senior manager at Grant Thornton LLP
• Hugo Chesshire (BA ’12, MA ’14), Policy and Government Relations Manager, Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce
• Robert Cheevers, second-year Bachelor of Sport Management student
• Jennifer Douglas, Bachelor of Recreation and Leisure Studies student

Tickets for the May 16 awards ceremony, held at the Holiday Inn Parkway Convention Centre in St. Catharines, are available through Business Link’s website.