ADJUDICATION

We are excited to use the Awardify platform to ensure all nominees are evaluated professionally, equally, and without bias. 

Composition of Selection Committee:

The Top 40 Over/Under 40 selection committee will be composed of respected and experienced business and community leaders who will volunteer their time to individually review and select the Top 40 Honourees for one of the categories – those under 40, or those 40 and over, based on the evaluation criteria. There will be at least 5 judges for each category.

Adjudication Process:

1. Chamber staff will screen each nomination form ensuring the person being nominated satisfies all of the eligibility guidelines.

2. Chamber staff will send each nominee a link to complete an online submission with questions that answer the four selection criteria:

- Vision and Leadership

- Innovation and Achievement

- Impact and Positive Influence

- Social Responsibility and Community Involvement

  • When an online submission is received by the nominee, Chamber staff will screen it for completeness.
  • If an online submission is incomplete, Chamber staff will reply to the nominee outlining what still needs to be completed, and by when.
  • If a nominee does not submit their completed submission by the due date, their submission will not be forwarded to the Selection Committee and their candidacy in the Top 40 program will not receive further consideration.

3. Each Evaluator on the Selection Committee will first be provided the list of names along with the business(es) and organization(s) associated with each nominee. Evaluators will review the list and identify any conflicts of interest including, but not limited to:

  • Related to the nominee biologically, through marriage, or close friendship;
  • Work or volunteer with the nominee at the same place of employment or organization, serve on a Board together, or any scenario in a professional setting that creates a real or perceived conflict of interest.
  • Any financial interest, investment, or indebtedness between the Evaluator and Nominee, including any loan(s) where the Evaluator or Nominee has direct or indirect oversight.
  • A close friendship between the Evaluator and Nominee, a relationship or close friendship to someone closely associated to the Evaluator or Nominee, or the appearance of a friendship that would call into question the Evaluator's impartiality.

In any case where a conflict of interest exists, may exist, or would appear to exist, the Evaluator will recuse themselves from evaluating a Nominee. Furthermore, in cases where an Evaluator finds a conflict of interest with 20% or more of the nomination pool, that Evaluator will remove themselves from the Selection Committee.

4. Once all conflict of interests have been identified and resolved, the Selection Committee Members will receive one of two batches of candidates to evaluate – those who are under 40, or those who are 40 and older. Each candidate's package will include the original nomination, as well as the nominee's responses to the questions in the online submission.

5. Any judge who is also nominated as a Top 40 will automatically be assigned to evaluate those in the opposite category. For example, if a member of the selection committee is 40 years or older and during the nomination process their name was submitted for consideration, they would automatically be assigned to evaluate the ‘Under 40' category regardless whether or not they complete their online submission.

All nominations are judged and weighted on the following criteria:

On a numerical scale, evaluators will score each nominee based on the following selection criteria, which will be weighted:
Vision and Leadership - 25%
Innovation and Achievement - 25%
Impact and Positive Influence - 25%
Social Responsibility and Community Involvement - 25%

Online judging takes place March 13, 2024 through March 24, 2024

Scores from each Evaluator per nominee will be averaged, and those who scored in the top 20 from each of the two categories will collectively become 2024's Top 40 Over/Under 40 Honourees.

Exceptions:

At any point during the Top 40 Over/Under 40 program, a Nominee may be disqualified for the following reasons, including but not limited to:

  1. If the Nominee does not return a completed online submission by the due date.
  2. If the Nominee moves away from or ceases to work within the Okanagan-Similkameen region.
  3. If it has been determined that the Nominee's online submission misrepresents the Nominee's age, achievements, or employment in any way;
  4. Where it is known that the Nominee is under investigation for, charged with, or has been convicted of a criminal or civil act that would call into question the credibility of this program.
  5. If the nominee is an active Chamber of Commerce employee or the owner or lead manager of the title sponsor's organization.