Business North Carolina released its 2026 list of Trailblazers: business owners and professionals under the age of 40 who work in cities and towns with fewer than 100,000 residents. Western North Carolina made a solid showing with the following winners: 

• Dr. Kelly Whiteley of Boone, founder of the soon-to-open Alpenglow Dental Studio
• John Caveny, vice president of conservation and education at Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation in Linville
• Clint Cogburn, attorney at Ward & Smith in Asheville
• Myles Stacy, family caregiver support specialist at High Country Area Agency on Aging in Lenoir

The full list can be found here.