EY Announces Winners for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2016 Utah Region Award

SALT LAKE CITY, June 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- EY is pleased to announce the winners of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in the Utah Region. The program has expanded to recognize business leaders in over 145 cities in 60 countries throughout the world and this year marks the award's 30^th anniversary. The winners were unveiled at a black tie awards gala on June 4, 2016 at The Grand America Hotel. Hosted by former KSL news anchor, Scott Haws, the gala was attended by more than 1,000 of Utah's elite business leaders and entrepreneurs. The 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 been at the forefront of recognizing and honoring outstanding entrepreneurs over the past 30 years," said Shawn Goff, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Program Director for the Utah Region. "This year's winners have not only built successful, thriving companies, but they have also served as mentors to their employees, bolstered Utah's economy, and made impressive contributions to their communities." 

The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2016 Utah Region Award winners are:

Jeremy Andrus, CEO, Traeger Grills LLC | Consumer Distribution & Manufacturing
Joseph Carbone, President & CEO, Eye Care 4 Kids | Social Entrepreneur
Carine Clark, President & CEO, MaritzCX | Technology
Brandon Fugal, Chairman, CBC Advisors | Residential & Commercial Services
Nick Hales, CEO, DigiCert | Services
Glenn Hileman, CEO, Highmark School Development | Construction Award winner
Mike McEwan, CEO, Jane.com | Retail & Consumer Products
Stephen Richards, President & CEO, BetterBody Foods and Nutrition, LLC | Consumable Products

Also honored at the event was fourteen-year-old Kyalynn Johnston, owner of Kyalynn's Studio, who participated in the Kool Kids competition. Junior Achievement teamed up with Grow Utah and My Tech High to put on a statewide competition in search of a deserving young entrepreneur. As the winner of the competition, Johnston received EY's 2016 Youth Entrepreneur scholarship award for her business idea. Kyalynn's Studio is a thriving business that supplies custom engraved goblets, mugs and gifts to a growing list of clients in Kyalynn's hometown of Logan. In recognition of her entrepreneurial concept, Johnston was awarded a $2,000 college scholarship at the gala.

These companies now join the ranks of 30 years of winners. As a group, the 2016 Utah Region finalists made a significant mark on innovation and the economy. They employ more than 5,000 people, and are a major source of economic stability, adding nearly 3,000 jobs in the past two years – a 115 percent boost in headcount. They have an aggregate revenue of more than $5.2 billion, and an impressive revenue growth rate of 175 percent over the past two years.

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 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards gala in Palm Springs, California on November 19, 2016. The awards are the culminating event of the Strategic Growth Forum^TM, the nation's most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies.

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 2017.

To learn more about the Utah Region program and to see photos from the 2016 Awards gala, please visit www.ey.com/us/eoy/utah_region. Join the conversation on social media by following us @EY_EOYUS using #EOYSLC.

Sponsors

Founded and produced by EY, Entrepreneur Of The Year is nationally sponsored by SAP America, Merrill Corporation and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. In addition, Merrill Corporation is the official and preferred data partner of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® Awards as a global leader in secure content sharing, regulated communications and compliance services. Merrill Corporation's DataSite is used to facilitate the judges' independent review of nominations. In the Utah Region, sponsors also include Beehive Startups, The Community Foundation of Utah, Corporate Alliance, Digital Bytes Production & Design, Diversified Insurance Group, Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., Strong & Hanni, The Summit Group Communications, and Utah Business.

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.

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This news release has been issued by Ernst & Young LLP, an EY member firm serving clients in the US.

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