EY Announces Winners for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2015 Gulf Coast Area Award

Exemplary entrepreneurs honored at program's gala event

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Jun 26, 2015, 09:00 ET

HOUSTON, June 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- EY announced the winners of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in the Gulf Coast Area on June 25 at a special gala at the Hilton Americas Hotel in Houston. This group of leading entrepreneurs was selected by an independent judging panel made up of previous winners of the award, leading CEOs, private capital investors and other regional business leaders.

"EY has honored outstanding entrepreneurs for the past 29 years," said Todd Zuspan, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Program Director for the Gulf Coast Area. "These winners are accomplished leaders who have contributed a tremendous amount to their communities."

The winners for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2015 Gulf Coast Area Award include:

Business Services Category: Louis Flory, CEO, Effex Management Solutions, Kingwood, TX
Energy: John Walker, CEO, EnerVest, Ltd., Houston, TX
Transformational CEO: Brad Childers, President and CEO, Exterran, Houston, TX
Energy Related Products: Donald Young, Chairman and CEO, Hoover Group, Inc., Houston, TX
Family Business: Sean Reilly, CEO, Lamar Advertising Company, Baton Rouge, LA
Health Care: Dr, Setul Patel, CEO, Neighbors Health System, Inc., Pearland, TX
Energy Services: Kevin McEvoy, CEO, Oceaneering International, Inc., Houston, TX
Technology: Andres Reiner, President, CEO and Director, PROS, Inc., Houston, TX
Products & Services: Richard "Gordy" Bunch, Founder, President and CEO, The Woodlands Financial Group, Houston, TX
Industrial and Construction Services: Mike Appling, Jr., CEO, TNT Crane & Rigging, Inc., Houston, TX

Regional award winners are eligible for consideration for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year national program. Award winners in several national categories, as well as the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Overall National Award winner, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, California on November 14, 2015. The US Entrepreneur Of The Year Overall Award winner then moves on to compete for the World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in Monaco, June 2016. Now in its 29th year, the program has expanded to recognize business leaders in over 145 cities in 60 countries throughout the world. Venture-backed companies that win an Entrepreneur Of The Year Award regionally are also eligible for the Venture Capital Award of Excellence at the national level. The awards are the culminating event of the EY Strategic Growth Forum®, the nation's most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies.

Sponsors

Founded and produced by EY, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are nationally sponsored by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and SAP America. In the Gulf Coast Area, sponsors also include Lockton Companies, LLC, BBVA Compass, Colliers International, DLA Piper, SolomonEdwards, ADP, Pierpont Communications, Inc., and Smart Business Network, Inc.

About EY Entrepreneur Of The Year®

Entrepreneur Of The Year is the world's most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The unique award 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 award 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 Strategic Growth Markets (SGM) practice guides leading high-growth companies. Our multidisciplinary teams of elite professionals provide perspective and advice to help our clients accelerate market leadership. SGM delivers assurance, tax, transactions and advisory services to thousands of companies spanning all industries. EY is the undisputed leader in taking companies public, advising key government agencies on the issues impacting high-growth companies and convening the experts who shape the business climate. For more information, please visit us at ey.com/us/strategicgrowthmarkets, or follow 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.

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