News Release Contacts: Katherine Tarbox, Ernst & Young LLP +1 202 361 8694, katherine.tarbox@ey.com Courtney Story, Ernst & Young LLP +1 720 931 4411, Courtney.story@ey.com FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Marking 30 years of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards, EY Opens 2016 Call for Nominations EY seeks the country s most innovative and disruptive entrepreneurs to join the ranks of 30 years of past winners, marking them as today s most distinguished and influential business leaders. Denver, CO EY announced the call for nominations has opened for the 30th annual EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards, recognized as one of the most prestigious business award programs in the country. For the past 30 years, EY has been at the forefront of identifying gamechanging business leaders while celebrating three decades of American ingenuity. Past leaders recognized by EY have disrupted industries, created new product categories, and successfully brought new innovation and technology to traditional industries. In the Mountain Desert region, some of our former award winners include Mike Fries of Liberty Global; Bryan Leach of Ibotta; Dan Burns and Dan Wilson of Optiv (fka Accuvant); Kristy Taddonio Mullins of Mile Hi; David Wright of SolidFire; Eric Wallace of Left Hand Brewing Company; Terry McDaniel of Inventure Foods; Todd Davis of LifeLock; Kevin Reddy of Noodles & Company; Dan Caruso of Zayo Group; and Robert Worsley of SkyMall. Recent US national award winners include Reid Hoffman and Jeff Weiner of LinkedIn, Hamid Moghadam of Prologis, Hamdi Ulukaya of Chobani, and 2015 winners Andreas Bechtolsheim and Jayshree Ullal of Arista Networks. A member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited
Each year, EY showcases successful entrepreneurs from more than 145 cities in more than 60 countries. In 2015, EY named 266 winners from 224 companies in the US, with 25 entrepreneurs leading companies from the Mountain Desert region selected as EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Award finalists. The impact of these companies does not end with the innovative products, ideas or services they bring. Rather, their impact on the economy is much farther-reaching. As a group, these winners employ more than 406,000 people. They re a major source of economic stability, adding 81,000 jobs between 2013 and 2015 a 29% boost in headcount. They have aggregate revenues of more than $169 billion, along with an impressive revenue growth rate of 34% over the same period. For 30 years, through the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Program, we have had the ability to witness firsthand some of the most innovative business leaders and disruptive, industry-shifting ideas coming to the market, said Mike Kacsmar, Americas Director, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year. While these high-growth companies may set out to solve different problems or tackle different industries, they do have things in common: the significant impact they make on the job market, their contribution to the economy and their commitment to keeping innovation alive in America. Award winners are selected in a number of industry categories by a panel of independent regional judges, including previous winners of the award, leading CEOs and private capital investors and other regional business leaders. Entrepreneurs may nominate themselves or be nominated by peers and other business leaders. We are excited to celebrate our region s most talented and innovative entrepreneurs. EY is proud to showcase these high growth businesses of the future as the next generation of legacy builders are named, said Jim Wilson, Mountain Desert Director, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year. The program has a firm deadline of March 11, 2016, for nominations, with the Mountain Desert region awards ceremony scheduled for June 23, 2016, at Denver Center for the Performing Arts. The Entrepreneur Of The Year Program honors entrepreneurs regionally in June. All regional honorees will then be invited to the Entrepreneur Of The Year national gala on November 19, 2016,
in Palm Springs, California. The national gala is the culminating event of the EY Strategic Growth Forum, the nation s most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies. For more information on the EY Strategic Growth Forum, please visit ey.com/us/sgf. The US Overall Award winner will go on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year TM title in Monaco the following June. Award criteria Entrepreneurs eligible for consideration include not only company founders, but also leaders of multi-generation family businesses and transformational public and private company CEOs. Additionally, the nominee s company must be at least two years old. Self-nominations are encouraged, and there is no fee. The firm deadline for 2016 nominations is March 11. Information is available at ey.com/us/eoy. For information on the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards in the Mountain Desert region, please visit www.ey.com/us/eoy/md. To nominate a candidate, please visit the secure application site. Sponsors Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are nationally sponsored by SAP Americas, Merrill Corporation and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. In the Mountain Desert region, local sponsors include Faegre Baker Daniels LLP, Colliers International, Woodruff-Sawyer & Co and the Denver Business Journal. Contact information To get more information, as well as nomination forms, contact Courtney Story at courtney.story@ey.com. About EY Entrepreneur Of The Year EY Entrepreneur Of The Year is the world s most prestigious business awards program for entrepreneurs. The program makes a difference through the way it encourages entrepreneurial
activity among those with potential and recognizes the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. As the first and only truly global awards program of its kind, Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 145 cities in more than 60 countries.
About EY s Strategic Growth Markets practice EY s worldwide Strategic Growth Markets Network is dedicated to serving the changing needs of high-growth companies. For more than 30 years, we ve helped many of the world s most dynamic and ambitious companies grow into market leaders. Whether working with international, mid-cap companies or early stage, venture-backed businesses, our professionals draw upon their extensive experience, insight and global resources to help your business succeed. ey.com/sgm. Follow our news on Twitter @EY_Growth. About EY EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities. EY refers to the global organization and may refer to one or more of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com. This news release has been issued by Ernst & Young LLP, an EY member firm serving clients in the US.