For those who wonder about the next generation of leaders: look around you.

In February, The Miami Herald asked readers to recommend emerging leaders under 40. Hundreds of e-mails flooded our box.

The flurry of nominations illustrates what veteran business leader Alberto Ibargüen maintains: It's not hard to find those people here.

``When you ask, you find them,'' said the Knight Foundation chairman, who said that today's young business leaders take cues from their own entrepreneurship, not from corporate activity.

The 20 highlighted here range from familiar faces like César Conde, who has been at the helm of Univisión Networks since last fall, to those best known within their industries, such as 27-year-old Brian Breslin, who three years ago helped start Refresh Miami, a networking group that has helped coalesce the local tech community.

A town that likes to bemoan its transience should take heart in the fact all but a few of these 20 have deep roots here, either by virtue of their birth or moving here at a young age. Some came to the photo shoot for finalists and found childhood friends or law school classmates among the group.

Greenberg Traurig's Jaret Davis was born in Miami and never left -- staying for both undergraduate and law school. Davis, 35, who clerked at the Securities and Exchange Commission in Miami, and now focuses on corporate law, including mergers and acquisitions, said he had many chances to leave -- but chose to stay.

``I think for our generation, and the next in particular, you're going to find a better retention of talent,'' said Davis, who said he thinks that reflects Miami's evolution as well. ``You have this magical combination of a town that's pretty sophisticated, but still provides a lot of opportunities for growth. It's the perfect city.''

See our complete list of the top 20 under 40.