EY announces winners for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2014 Michigan and Northwest Ohio Award

DETROIT, June 6, 2014 – EY today announced the winners of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Award in Michigan and Northwest Ohio. 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. The winners were revealed at a black-tie gala on Thursday, June 5, 2014 at the MGM Grand Hotel Detroit.

“EY has honored outstanding entrepreneurs for the past 28 years,” said Angie Kelly, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Program Director for Michigan and Northwest Ohio. “These business leaders are accomplished entrepreneurs who have contributed a tremendous amount to the community.”

The Entrepreneur Of The Year 2014 Michigan and Northwest Ohio Award winners are:

• Distribution & Manufacturing: Steven Greenawalt, CEO, Alta Equipment Company (Wixom, Michigan)
• Automotive: James Verrier, President and CEO, BorgWarner Inc. (Auburn Hills, Michigan)
• Emerging: Cheong Choon Ng, President and Co-Owner, Choon’s Design (Wixom, Michigan)
• Technology: Robert Verdun, President, Computerized Facility Integration LLC (Southfield, Michigan)
• Spirit of Entrepreneurship: Josh Linkner, CEO and Managing Partner, Brian Hermelin, Partner, and Dan Gilbert, Partner, Detroit Venture Partners (Detroit, Michigan)
• Retail & Consumer Products: Stacey Marsh, President, and Mike Marsh, Vice President, Flatout, Inc. (Saline, Michigan)
• Consumer Services: Rich Beckman, CEO, Great Expressions Dental Centers (Bloomfield Hills, Michigan)
• Family Business: Nick Nicolay, President, Kar’s Nuts, Inc. (Madison Heights, Michigan)
• Diversified Services: Todd Sachse, CEO, Sachse Construction (Detroit, Michigan)
• Business Services: Richard Penington, President and CEO, Summit Health, Inc. (Novi, Michigan)
• Lifetime Achievement: Arthur Bott, President and CEO, Grand Rapids Plastics (Grand Rapids, Michigan)

The Entrepreneur Of The Year Program honors entrepreneurs regionally in June, leading up to the national awards in November. Additionally, 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 Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner then moves on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Award.

Now in its 28th year, the program has expanded to recognize business leaders in more than 145 cities in more than 60 countries throughout the world.

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, California, on November 15, 2014. The awards are the culminating event of the EY Strategic Growth Forum®, the nation’s most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies.

Founded and produced by EY, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are sponsored in the United States by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and SAP America. In Michigan and Northwest Ohio, sponsors include RBS Citizens Charter One, Foley & Lardner LLP, Tanner Friedman, Crain’s Detroit Business, NewsTalk 760 WJR, New Paradigm Promotional Marketing, Inc., and Grand Valley State University Seidman College of Business.

About EY 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.

About EY’s Strategic Growth Markets
EY’s Strategic Growth Markets (SGM) practices guide 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 Ernst & Young
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 release has been issued by Ernst & Young LLP, an EY member firm serving clients in the US.

SOURCE: Ernst & Young LLP