Young business and community leaders—including three who share close ties to Bucks—were celebrated at The Bucks County Courier Times and The Intelligencer’s 2014 Forty under 40 award luncheon held last month.

Each year, 40 up-and-coming business and community leaders are recognized for their efforts toward making a difference in Bucks and Montgomery counties. Among those honored were Matthew Kelly, a Bucks student; Tobi Bruhn, from the BCCC Foundation; and Craig Sanford, a Bucks alumnus.

“This was a very energetic group,” said Amy Gianficaro, the newspapers’ community affairs director. “Every year we go further, the caliber gets higher and higher.”

Gianficaro said it was her hope that in bringing these young leaders together—of business, philanthropy, education and government—it would draw out area leaders of all ages and domains to celebrate their achievements.

Jamie Haddon, president and CEO of the United Way of Bucks County and the luncheon’s keynote speaker, lauded the honorees for their exceptional achievements. “There is an incredible amount of talent, knowledge, and skill in this room. There are forty people who, before the age of 40, have accomplished incredible things in business and in the nonprofit sector; in the arts and in the sciences; in our community and well beyond our borders.”

Kelly, 20, of Southampton, is a business student at Bucks. He was selected for his outstanding work in the community through New Hope Charity Foundation, an organization he founded to collect and distribute toys to children in pediatric hospitals. Since 2010, with the help of family, friends and volunteers, Kelly has delivered over 62,000 toys to children across the country.

“I am humbled by the outpouring of support and kind words myself and New Hope have received throughout this special time,” said Kelly on his Facebook page.

Bruhn is the executive director of BCCC Foundation, a supporting partner of Bucks that builds relationships with alumni, businesses and individuals throughout the community to help raise funds for student scholarships and invest in educational opportunities. In 2013 Bruhn awarded more than $250,000 in student scholarships, the largest total in the institution’s history.

“I’m certainly very appreciative and honored by the award. I think it is a wonderful recognition of the foundation’s efforts and the good work that the entire team has been doing,” said Bruhn. “Without my staff, I certainly wouldn’t be able to do all the things I was recognized for.”

Sanford, of Yardley, graduated from Bucks in 2012 with a degree in business management and graphic design.