Shannon Botten, 37, president, Botten’s Equipment & Event Rental, McMinnville, Ore., says her company is another multigenerational equipment and event rental business with one key difference — the family created the business together from scratch in 2012.

For the ninth consecutive year in the September issue, Rental Management presents our “12 to watch under 40” cover story featuring a group of young professionals under the age of 40 who have become active participants in managing and running rental businesses as well as participating in industry activities at the local, state and national level.

Laura Jutzi, CERP, 31, was determined to be a veterinarian. But in between completing her degree in equine studies and picking up a minor in business studies while working at NJS Design Event and Party Rentals, Clinton, Ontario, Canada, she decided to keep her horses as a hobby and remain 100 percent invested in the event rental company started by her mother, Nancy Snell, CERP, 24 years ago.

Meagan Priest, 35, wanted a career where she would be helping people, so she initially turned to social work. After she became “burnt out,” she took a break, working in the food and beverage industry for a few years.

Matthew Smith, 37, has what is a somewhat typical story about how he became involved in the equipment and event rental industry — by accident.