Annual IBR honors celebrate leaders and excellence in industries of law and finance

As the weather gets cooler, that can only mean one thing: Idaho Business Review is announcing its list of honorees for Excellence in Finance and Leaders in Law.

Though the awards event isn’t until mid-November, the publication reveals the recipients in September each year.

The 2025 winners of the Excellence in Finance and Leaders in Law awards have been chosen, celebrating careers that show outstanding performance in leadership, mentorship, community service and other areas.

Once again, Excellence in Finance covers banking, corporate investment, education and professional sectors, and Leaders in Law covers associates, educators, in-house counsel, partners, sole practitioners, unsung heroes and up-and-coming individuals in the legal field. A committee carefully considers all candidates who are nominated, and one honoree earned a lifetime achievement award.

For the first time since it began, Excellence in Finance will also honor a recipient with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Leaders in Law has done that for several years now.

18 individuals have been selected as 2025 Excellence in Finance recipients and 22 have been selected as Leaders in Law. Awardees hail from all over Idaho and are selected based on their successes and raising standards for their companies and the state.

An awards ceremony celebrating the winners from both Leaders in Law and Excellence in Finance will be held on Nov. 13 at 4:30 p.m. at Boise Centre East, allowing professionals from each industry a chance to network during a reception.

Click here for tickets.

Special publications highlighting the honorees will be included with the Nov. 21 issue of Idaho Business Review. Attendees of the award ceremony on Nov. 13 will receive advanced copies of the publications.

2025 Excellence in Finance Honorees

• Iris Anderson, Idaho National Laboratory
• Ryan Carlson, Hawkins
• Danica Davis, Presnell Gage, PLLC
• Paulette Hudson, Capital Matrix, Inc.
• Helen Johnson, Zions Bank
• David Klungle, Boise State University Department of Finance
• Tyler Kraupp, Good Co Mortgage
• Todd Lovell, Raymond James
• Summer McCracken, Columbia Bank
• MacArthur Minor, WestLink Ag Group
• Alan Mullins, Bank of Idaho a Division of Glacier Bank (Mountain West Bank)
• Marlene Myers, US Bank
• Tawnya Nyman, B.A. Harris LLC
• Windi Martin, Sorren
• Jared Robinson, Good Co Mortgage
• Don Rognon, ICCU
• Danielle Ruhl, Jackson Jet Center
• Nathan Weinstein, Idaho Botanical Garden

Lifetime Achievement

Joel Hickman, Idaho Trust Bank

2025 Leaders in Law Honorees

Associate

• Kenny Shumard, Hawley Troxell

Educator

• Jessica Gunder, University of Idaho
• Leon Samuels, University of Idaho
• Christopher Yorgason, Yorgason Law Office

In-House Counsel

• Kimberly Evans-Ross, Idaho National Laboratory
• Rob Dickson, Hawkins
• Brett Hamm, Adler Industrial
• Robert Squire, D.L. Evans Bank

Partner

• Sean Beck, Advanced Legal Planning
• Penelope Gaffney, Gravis Law
• Philip Maier, Dorsey & Whitney, LLP
• Grant Patton, Patton & Buller
• Ben Ritchie, Hawley Troxell
• Norman Semanko, Parson Behle & Latimer Boise

Sole Practitioner

• Mary K Denton, Business Legal Consulting, PLLC
• Nicole Derden, Law Office of Nicole Derden
• Belén Meyers, Belén Meyers Law
• Rachel Murphy, Shaila Buckley Law

Unsung Heroes

• Katie Gerhard, Smith Horras, P.A.
• Kaylee Hill, Malek + Malek, PLLC
• Maureen Ryan Braley, Idaho State Bar | Idaho Law Foundation

Up & Coming

• Cory Carone, Stoel Rives, LLP
• Michelle Williams, Hawley Troxell

Lifetime Achievement

Cathy Silak, Hawley Troxell