EY has announced the finalists for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2015 Awards in Orange County and the Inland Empire.
The awards program recognizes entrepreneurs and business leaders who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities.
These Orange County and Inland Empire business leaders were selected as finalists from 65 nominations by a panel of 15 independent judges. Award winners will be announced at a gala event June 11 at The St. Regis Monarch Beach in Dana Point.
The finalists include Newport Beach residents Steve and Alexis Schulze, co-founders of Nekter Juice Bar, and Joe Duran, CEO of United Capital Financial Advisers of Newport Beach.
Now in its 29th year, the program has expanded to recognize business leaders in more than 145 cities in 60 countries.
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 Overall National Award winner, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs on Nov. 14, 2015.
The US Entrepreneur of the Year Overall Award winner then moves on to compete for the World Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Monaco in June 2016.
Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Awards are sponsored nationally by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and SAP America.
In Orange County, the sponsors are: Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Co.; Union Bank; Hollencrest Capital Management; Stradling Law; Smart Business Magazine; Merrill Datasite; Scherzer International; and HKA, Inc. Marketing Communications.
For more information, visit ey.com.
