FRANKFORT, Ky. — Five young professionals from across Kentucky have advanced to the final round of competition for the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce's 2026 Young Professional of the Year Award, according to The Lane Report.

The finalists are Tyler Burke, director of government and public affairs for Columbia Gas of Kentucky; Kelsey Hargis, community enrichment officer at Independence Bank; Maegan Mansfield, chief growth officer for BFW/Marcum Engineering and Consulting; Aaron Marcus, Louisville office managing partner at Dentons; and Karan Shah, founding and managing partner of Physician Care Coordination Consultants, or PC3 Health.

The award recognizes emerging professionals for leadership, innovation, career accomplishments and service to their communities, according to the Kentucky Chamber. Public voting began Aug. 25 and runs through Sept. 4 at 11:59 p.m. ET on the Chamber's social media platforms, including Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram. Votes are calculated based on the combined number of likes, comments and shares on the Chamber's official finalist posts.

The five finalists represent several sectors of Kentucky's economy, including energy, banking, engineering and consulting, law and health care. The winner will be announced and recognized at the Kentucky Chamber's Young Professionals Summit on Sept. 21 in Louisville.

The summit brings together young professionals from across the Commonwealth for professional development, networking and discussions focused on leadership and career growth. This year marks the third annual Young Professional of the Year Award, which highlights the challenge employers face in developing and retaining the next generation of business and community leaders as businesses increasingly compete for skilled employees.