Hot 20 Under 40
Meet the next generation of Bay Area movers and shakers
BY Stephen Brown
The Iceman, Mattias Ohlund, 33 - As one of the newest members of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Mattias Öhlund is bringing a new level of determination, and sometimes aggression, to the back-ice as the high-powered defenseman takes to the rink. Öhlund’s career started in Sweden, wearing the jersey for his national team in the World Championships in 1997, and quickly followed by the birth of a NHL career with the Vancouver Canucks in 1997. As a three-time Olympian, Öhlund helped lead the Swedish team to gold in the 2006 Winter Olympic games in Turin, Italy. Signing Öhlund during the off-season, the Lightning and the rest of the Bay hope this is the season the Bolts again lift Lord Stanley’s Cup.
The Personality, Lindsay MacDonald, 33 -
For Tampa resident and Daytime co-host Lindsay MacDonald, love for television came at an early age. Starting her career as an intern while in high school at the Chicago PBS station WTTW, MacDonald’s step from behind the camera came in 1998 as a cast member on MTV’s The Real World Seattle season. Now a member of the nationally syndicated lifestyle and entertainment program Daytime, MacDonald is once again melting the hearts of audiences across the country with her spunky, infectious attitude. “I love the adventures, from experiencing them first hand to hearing about someone else speak about theirs,” says MacDonald. “That’s my favorite part of the job.” Her latest adventure: climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
The Thespian, Crystal Hunt, 24 - For Crystal Hunt, acting was always a passion. Best known for her role as Lizzie Spaulding on the daytime soap opera Guiding Light, the Clearwater native has since made a name for herself for roles in the feature film Sydney White and the independent film Brooklyn to Manhattan. Hunt’s newest character, Stacy Morasco, on the daytime drama One Life to Live, has audiences riveted with her on-screen exploits. But don’t let the looks fool you. Under this feminine mystique, Hunt is a skilled helicopter pilot and an avid drag racer, showing that her adventurous spirit goes far beyond that of the stage.
The Heiress, Liana Fuente, 29 - Tampa Bay is synonymous with cigars, and none are as recognizable as Arturo Fuente. Continuing the cigar heritage of this multigenerational business, Liana Fuente is following in her father and grandfather’s footsteps. “I grew up with cigars my whole life,” Fuente says. “It’s a passion, a culture.” Learning the business from her family has taken her on a journey from seed to smoke, familiarizing herself with every step in the cigar- making process (she can even roll them). With a fresh perspective and new ideas, Fuente has become heavily involved with the Arturo Fuente brand, creating new and original products outside of the typical line of cigar products. She’s branching into new outlets like leather, custom furniture for Boeing aircrafts, yachts and high-end recreational vehicles, and even Christmas ornaments and a line of fine china due to hit the market late next spring. “My father and grandfather have both set benchmarks that seem to get higher and higher,” she says. “I definitely have some very big shoes to fill.”
