Nassau, 21st September 2026 – Aarone Sargent, Managing Director of the Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Authority, was named to the 2026 “40-Under-40” list at a banquet on Saturday, 19th September at the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar.
The awards honor dynamic young leaders under 40 across various industries and fields. The awards aim to highlight their contributions and community impact while encouraging the next generation of professionals.
Mr. Sargent was appointed Acting Director of the then-newly formed Disaster Reconstruction Authority in 2021, overseeing its merger with the National Emergency Management Agency to form the DRM Authority, and later leading the Authority’s transformation into a modern, effective agency.
Mr. Sargent felt that the honor was a validation of the work he is doing, saying, “Being under 40 in leadership is not easy, but learning as we grow into leadership is beneficial. I look at this as encouragement for me to keep up this path and continue building capacity to make The Bahamas safer and more resilient”.
The Hon. McKell Bonaby, state Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for disaster management, was on hand to witness Mr. Sargent receiving the award. He said, “It’s great to see Aarone getting recognized for all of his hard work. I’ve known him for over 20 years. Not only is Aarone a great managing director, but he’s also a great human being, so I’m very happy to see him being recognized by his peers.”
Members of Mr. Sargent’s family and DRM Authority leadership were also in attendance to support him.
Building a more prepared, more resilient Bahamas takes everybody. To get involved and learn more about how you can prepare your family, your home, or your business for a disaster, go to www.getready.gov.bs. You can also join the DRM Authority’s WhatsApp channel by visiting https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaARXeN3WHTa53Al8e33.
