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.
In the words of our judges
“From immigrant to transformational CEO, Marco’s journey epitomizes resilience and innovation, and his passion for human connection has fueled Propio’s growth.”
Growing up in Brazil, Marco Assis hoped to create a future beyond his humble beginnings. But he couldn’t speak English, and he saw that capability as a springboard to success. With his family unable to afford English classes, he taught himself using movies with English subtitles and other inexpensive or free resources. He became proficient enough to pay his way through an English-speaking school by tutoring other students.
With dogged determination, Assis studied his way into a top Brazilian university, leveraging his education into a career with multinational energy companies. His work required extensive travel and frustrating communication difficulties, such as when he and his wife, neither of whom are native Spanish speakers, had to navigate the health care system in Panama when their first child had health issues.
This firsthand experience with language barriers has served Assis well at Propio Language Services, first as Vice President of Finance and Operations and today as CEO and owner. Propio bridges the communication gap between doctors, nurses, courtrooms, teachers and the underserved community of non-English speakers. Its technology solutions provide over-the-phone interpretation, video remote interpretation, in-person interpretation and document translation services to help people navigate life’s most critical situations with confidence. The company primarily serves the health care market but also has customers in financial services, education and government.
Under Assis, Propio has grown significantly, increasing its workforce from 10 to 164 full-time employees and completing five acquisitions in two years to access new technology and markets. This expansion has propelled the company onto the 2024 Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies, with 751% growth over three years. Assis, who overcame language barriers and found success, is now helping others join the conversation — one voice at a time.