EY Announces Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2023 Michigan and Northwest Ohio Finalists

Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates ambitious entrepreneurs who are building bolder futures

DETROIT, May 5, 2023 – Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) today announced the finalists for the Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2023 Michigan and Northwest Ohio Award. Now in its 37th year, Entrepreneur Of The Year is one of the preeminent competitive business awards for transformative entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies who are building a more equitable, sustainable and prosperous world for all.

These 33 entrepreneurs from 30 companies were selected as finalists by an independent panel of judges. The candidates were evaluated based on their demonstration of building long-term value through entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth and impact, among other core contributions and attributes.

The 2023 Michigan and Northwest Ohio finalists are:

·         Nick Bancroft | AgroLiquid | Saint Johns, Michigan

·         Dennis Archer Jr. | Archer Corporate Services LLC | Belleville, Michigan

·         Kelly Preston | Capital Steel & Wire | DeWitt, Michigan

·         Aniema Ubom | Care First Group Living & In-Home Services Inc. | Beverly Hills, Michigan

·         Bruce Smith | Detroit Manufacturing Systems | Detroit, Michigan

·         Tom Saeli | Duro Last Division of Holcim Solutions and Products LLC | Saginaw, Michigan

·         Kenneth Kelly | First Independence Bank | Detroit, Michigan

·         Min Kyu Kim | Kimchi Box | Northville, Michigan

·         Edi Demaj and Etrit Demaj | KODE Labs Inc. | Detroit, Michigan

·         Angela Chryplewicz and Carla Ejaz | Lasting Impressions, Inc. | Canton, Michigan

·         Steven Riggs | LynxDx, Inc. | Ann Arbor, Michigan

·         Nezar Akeel | MAXPRO Fitness LLC | Rochester, Michigan

·         Zach Booker | Mentavi Health / ADHD Online | Grand Rapids, Michigan

·         Katie Bigelow | Mettle Ops | Sterling Heights, Michigan

·         Micael Aubrey Jr. | Mission Veterinary Partners | Southfield, Michigan

·         Tarolyn Buckles | Onyx Enterprise, Inc. | Detroit, Michigan

·         Stacy Fox and David Di Rita | Roxbury Group | Detroit, Michigan

·         Jason Harper | RXA, LLC | Ann Arbor, Michigan

·         Ali Dirul | Ryter Cooperative Industries | Highland Park, Michigan

·         Dr. Tyler Wall | SD Bullion | Sylvania, Ohio

·         Ime Ekpenyong | SGRX | Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan

·         Mark White | Shape Corp | Grand Haven, Michigan

·         Danny Ellis | SkySpecs | Ann Arbor, Michigan

·         Tamira Chapman | Storehouse In A Box LLC | Farmington, Michigan

·         Pat Bowe | The Andersons, Inc. | Maumee, Ohio

·         Matt McAlear | The McAlear Group | Maumee, Ohio

·         Maria A. Marin | Unlimited Recycling, Inc. | Richmond, Michigan

·         Varchasvi Shankar | V2Soft, Inc. | Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

·         Vickie Gould | Vickie Gould International, LLC | Brighton, Michigan

·         Mike Harris | Worksighted | Holland, Michigan

"This year’s finalists are the next class in an impressive line of visionaries who are leading successful, dynamic businesses. They are ambitious entrepreneurs set on transforming their industries and communities,” said Joe Lenglet, EY Partner and Entrepreneur Of The Year Michigan and Northwest Ohio program co-director.

“The 2023 finalists have been carefully selected by our independent panel of judges for their unwavering commitment to their companies, customers and communities, and we are thrilled to recognize them,” added Laura Trosper, EY Partner and Entrepreneur Of The Year Michigan and Northwest Ohio program co-director.

Regional award winners will be announced on June 21, 2023 during a special celebration. The winners will then be considered by the National judges for the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards, which will be presented in November at the annual Strategic Growth Forum®, one of the nation’s most prestigious gatherings of high-growth, market-leading companies. The Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner will then move on to compete for the World Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award in June 2024. 

The Entrepreneur Of The Year program has recognized more than 11,000 entrepreneurs throughout the US since its inception in 1986, and it has grown to recognize business leaders across 145 cities in over 60 countries around the world.

For information on the Entrepreneur Of The Year Michigan and Northwest Ohio program, please visit ey.com/us/eoy/mnwo.

Sponsors

Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards include presenting sponsors PNC Bank, N.A.; SAP America; and the Kauffman Foundation. In Michigan and Northwest Ohio, sponsors also include Trion Solutions Inc., Foley & Lardner LLP, Tanner Friedman Strategic Communications, KLA Laboratories Inc., Full View Productions, and P.I.E. Management LLC.

About Entrepreneur Of The Year®

Entrepreneur Of The Year® is the world’s most prestigious business awards program for unstoppable entrepreneurs. These visionary leaders deliver innovation, growth and prosperity that transform our world. The program engages entrepreneurs with insights and experiences that foster growth. It connects them with their peers to strengthen entrepreneurship around the world. Entrepreneur Of The Year is the first and only truly global awards program of its kind. It celebrates entrepreneurs through regional and national awards programs in more than 145 cities in over 60 countries. National Overall Award winners go on to compete for the World Entrepreneur Of The Year® title.

About EY Private

As Advisors to the ambitious™, EY Private professionals possess the experience and passion to support private businesses and their owners in unlocking the full potential of their ambitions. EY Private teams offer distinct insights born from the long EY history of working with business owners and entrepreneurs. These teams support the full spectrum of private enterprises including private capital managers and investors and the portfolio businesses they fund, business owners, family businesses, family offices and entrepreneurs.

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