iSend President and CEO Steve LaBella Named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year™ 2014 Finalist in the New York Region

MIDDLEBURY, Conn., May 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- iSend, a leading U.S. electronic payment service for people who support family members in other countries, announced today that President and CEO Steve LaBella has been named a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year™ 2014 award in the New York region. LaBella was also a finalist for this region in 2013.

The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2014 awards program recognizes entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. New York region award winners will be announced June 17, 2014, at a special awards gala at the Marriott Marquis in New York City.

"In the past year, iSend has continued its aggressive growth path with expansion into Latin America and Africa through direct relationships with dominant wireless carriers in these regions," said LaBella. "I am extremely honored to be a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award and in the company of the New York region's most exceptional and innovative leaders."

iSend provides unprecedented electronic payment service options for people who support family members in other countries. Customers control the use of the funds they transfer, including topping-up individual family members' prepaid cell phones, paying recurring monthly bills and sending gift cards for merchandise at specific stores. These transfers can be arranged in more than 150,000 retail locations spanning the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe and the Middle East.

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 National Overall Award winner, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, Calif., on Nov. 15, 2014.

LaBella founded iSend in 2007 and has since engineered the company's rapid global success and expansion, quickly positioning iSend as one of the leading international electronic payment service providers. He has worked to expand iSend into emerging and fast-growth markets around the world by forging strategic partnerships with international retailers, wireless carriers and payment companies. In 1996, LaBella started his first bill payment company, QuickPay, in the United States at the age of 26. He sold his company to American Payment Systems in 2000. In 2004 American Payment Systems was subsequently sold to CheckFree Services, the largest bill payment service in the United States. During his tenure, Steve lead the effort to expand the CheckFree walk-in network to large retailers which resulted in long-term contracts with several of the country's largest retailers.

In 2013, LaBella was also recognized by Chief Executive magazine as the Mid-Market CEO for Innovation.

About iSend
Ranked by Forbes magazine at #33 in 2013 and #13 in 2014 among "America's Most Promising Companies," and at #73 in the 2013 Inc. 500 list of America's fastest-growing private companies, iSend provides unprecedented electronic payment service options for people who support family members in other countries. Customers control the use of the funds they transfer, including topping-up individual family members' prepaid cell phones, paying recurring monthly bills and sending gift cards for merchandise at specific stores. These transfers can be arranged in more than 150,000 retail locations spanning the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe and the Middle East, with mobile phone top-ups also available online at iSend's recharge portal, www.Aryty.com. iSend's direct relationships with predominant mobile network operators, billing organizations and retail chains enable rapid transfers to recipients in more than 100 countries and growing throughout the Americas, the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, including the Indian subcontinent. For more information, visit www.iSend.com.

About Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year™:
EY 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.

For more information:
Suzanne Moccia
Carabiner Communications
404.842.0823
[email protected]

SOURCE iSend

WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM?

440k+
Newsrooms &
Influencers

9k+
Digital Media
Outlets

270k+
Journalists
Opted In

GET STARTED