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The SIUE alums were among more than 750 nominees vying for a spot on the competitive list. When considering the multitude of candidates, the Business Journal indicates it looked mainly for statistical value that each nominee added to his or her company or organization.

El-Beck is the medical director of both the Hospitalist Program and the Observation Unit at St. Anthony’s Medical Center in St. Louis. After receiving his bachelor’s in biological sciences and chemistry from SIUE, El-Beck went on to complete medical school at Ross University, School of Medicine in Roseau, Dominica.

“I am humbled and honored to receive such recognition,” El-Beck said. “I want to be sure to thank the amazing people who I am fortunate enough to work for, and with, whose efforts I feel this honor also represents.”

El-Beck has helped develop and maintain the day-to-day operations of a group of board certified physicians practicing hospital medicine at St. Anthony’s Medical Center. His leadership also aided in the development of a “short-stay” observation unit.

“The unit is designed to evaluate and manage patients who require a more extended period of observation than the emergency department can provide, but are not quite sick enough to require an official hospitalization,” El-Beck explained.

El-Beck credits SIUE with laying the foundation for his current professional career.Ryan Freeman

“My degree was always recognized and highly regarded at every stage of my professional growth, from medical school, all the way to my current position,” El-Beck said. “The curriculum I went through provided a solid background in the sciences, and also in areas such as business and information technology that continue to serve me today.”

Freeman was surprised to learn he had been nominated for the 40 Under 40 list. Made apparent by his nomination letter, Freeman’s brother and colleague, Reed Freeman, also an SIUE alum, believed Ryan was deserving of this accolade due to his accomplishments in the construction industry.

“I was both surprised and proud to have been selected from what I am sure was a very accomplished group of individuals,” said Freeman.

Freeman is the vice president of operations, commercial projects at McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. in St. Louis. Freeman received a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering at SIUE.

“In my current role I am responsible for growing our market presence in the office, justice, airport and municipal markets,” Freeman explained. “Once we have been selected, I oversee projects in those sectors and a team of very talented sales, marketing and operations professionals, including a few SIUE grads!”

During his 10 years with the company, notable projects Freeman has worked on include the Edward Jones Corporate Headquarters, a more than $100 million development that added hundreds of jobs to the region. He is currently working on the first phases of the Arch Grounds renovations.

Tolga-Tanriseven-Fit“I love the construction industry, because the efforts of a large group of people result in progress in a physical form,” Freeman said. “It’s rewarding when you see projects you’ve worked on benefiting people’s everyday lives the way that hospitals, schools and businesses do.”

He attributes his professional success to the problem-solving and teamwork skills he has gained during his schooling and throughout his career. Many of his strongest business partners and friends are people he met during his schooling at SIUE, according to Freeman.

Also achieving a spot on the list is Tanriseven, founder and CEO of GirlsAskGuys, LLC. He achieved a master’s in computer engineering at SIUE and went on to launch his company in 2008.

“It’s very refreshing to see recognition and validation of success, especially in the start-up world, since the journey is long and has a lot of ups and downs,” Tanriseven noted.

The entrepreneur describes the social media platform as a digital community made up of trusted, and sometimes anonymous, friends from the opposite sex who share opinions and experiences.

“Working on a platform that touches, changes and most importantly, helps millions of people all around the world is quite fulfilling,” Tanriseven said. “Holding the key to that platform is a big responsibility.

“Making sure technology scales as we reach many more millions, and making sure our online community stays helpful and connected as it grows are the biggest challenges.”

Tanriseven’s brainchild, GirlsAskGuys, reaches an international audience with versions in English, Turkish and Spanish.

This year’s winners will be profiled in the February 13th issue of the St. Louis Business Journal. An awards banquet will be held for the 2015 recipients on Thursday, Feb. 19 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at America’s Center in St. Louis.

Photos (top to bottom): Munier El-Beck, MD, Ryan Freeman, Tolga Tanriseven