With an entrepreneur, a “no” just means not yet and the crazier people think their ideas are, the more they are driven to succeed. Entrepreneurs change people’s lives and build a better world for us all.

Lee Henderson

Americas EY Private Leader; Executive Sponsor, EY Entrepreneurs Access Network

Fervent supporter of young entrepreneurs and their businesses. Connector of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Self-proclaimed sports fanatic.

Lee has more than 25 years of experience working with both entrepreneurial private companies and large, multinational public companies.

As Americas EY Private Leader, Lee works with teams across the EY Americas Area — North, Central and South America and Israel — to support high-growth entrepreneurs and middle-market companies. These teams serve family enterprises, Venture Capital (VC) - and Private Equity (PE) - backed companies, privately held businesses, and pre-IPO and public companies.

Lee previously served as EY US Central Region Growth Markets Leader and Entrepreneur Of The Year® Midwest Program Director, Ernst & Young LLP. He’s spent time Ernst & Young LLP in London as the coordinating partner for a Fortune 500 technology company and served as the COO of the EY Assurance services in the UK and Ireland.

An active member in Chicago’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, Lee sits on several boards and committees including the Big Shoulders Fund; 1871, Chicago’s center for technology and entrepreneurship; and the Economic Club of Chicago.

Lee holds a BS in Accounting from California State University, Hayward.

How Lee is building a better working world

“I have committed, both personally and professionally, to support entrepreneurs as they grow. These brave men and women are the foundation of a prosperous economy. Their ambition is what keeps our world moving forward and keeps me energized.

Through EY Private programs and teams, we celebrate these unstoppable entrepreneurs. By promising to help these bold leaders accomplish their goals and realize their extraordinary potential, we help create a better working world.”