Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2011 Central Texas finalists announced

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Austin, Texas, 6 May 2011 — Ernst & Young LLP is pleased to announce the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® Central Texas finalists. This group of outstanding entrepreneurs was selected by an independent judging panel made up of previous winners of the award, leading CEOs, and other regional business and community leaders. The winners will be revealed at a gala event on June 9, 2011 at the Hilton Downtown Austin.

“These finalists create jobs in our area, encouraging community development and innovation in our broader economy,” said Don Dwight, Entrepreneur Of The Year Central Texas Program Director.
“No matter who wins on June 9th we know one thing for sure – Central Texas is enriched by every one of these finalists.”

The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2011 Central Texas finalists are:

  • Hemi Thaker, CEO, Anue Systems, Inc.
  • Gabriel Krajicek, CEO and Don Shafer, Co-Founder and Chairman, BancVue
  • Glenn Garland, President, CLEAResult
  • Allen Lassiter Gilmer, CEO and Chairman of the Board, Drilling Info, Inc.
  • Christophe Lavigne, President and CEO, LDR Spine
  • Hossein Hagigholam, Founder and CEO, Mamacita’s Restaurant and Cantina Inc.
  • Phil Miner, Chairman, Miner Holding Company
  • Mark McClain, CEO and Co-Founder and Kevin Cunningham, President and Co-Founder, SailPoint

The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year – Social category 2011 Central Texas finalists are:

  • Lisa Fielder, Executive Director, College Forward
  • Joyce McDonald, Executive Director, Frameworks Community Development Corporation Inc.
  • Frank Fernandez, Executive Director, Green Doors
  • Suzanne Santos, SFC Farmers’ Market Director, Sustainable Food Center

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 Entrepreneur Of The Year Venture Capital Award of Excellence on a national level. The overall National US winner then moves on to compete for the Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in June 2012.

This year, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Program celebrates its 25th anniversary. The program has expanded to recognize business leaders in more than 140 cities and more than 50 countries throughout the world. Awards are given to entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities.

All regional honorees are invited to the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards gala, hosted by Jay Leno, on November 12, 2011, in Palm Springs, California. The gala is the culminating event of the Ernst & Young Strategic Growth Forum®, the nation’s most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies, which will be held November 9–13, 2011. For more information on the
Ernst & Young Strategic Growth Forum, please visit www.ey.com/us/strategicgrowthforum.

Sponsors
Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are pleased to have the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation as a national sponsor.
In Central Texas, sponsors include ADP, Austin Business Journal, Bridgepoint Consulting, Broadway Bank, Cabot, DLA Piper, Lockton, San Antonio Business Journal and the Silverton Foundation.

Contact information
To make reservations for the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards gala on June 9, 2011, contact Teri Steffek, Ernst & Young Program Manager at +1 512 473 1623 or teri.steffek@ey.com by

June 1, 2011. Tickets are $200 per person or $2,000 per table. For information about the program, please visit www.ey.com/us/eoy.

About Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year
Ernst & Young 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 140 cities in more than 50 countries.

About Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. Worldwide, our 141,000 people are united by our shared values and an unwavering commitment to quality. We make a difference by helping our people, our clients and our wider communities achieve their potential.

Ernst & Young refers to the global organization of member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young LLP is a client-serving member firm of
Ernst & Young Global Limited operating in the US. For more information about our organization, please visit www.ey.com.

This news release has been issued by Ernst & Young LLP, a US client-serving member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited.

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