Winners-for-Ernst-&-Young-Metro-New-York-Entrepreneur-Of-The-Year-2008-Awards-announced - Ernst & Young - United States

New York, Thursday 26 June 2008 — Ernst & Young LLP is pleased to announce today the winners for the Ernst & Young Metro New York Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards. This group of exceptional entrepreneurs was selected by an independent judging panel and the winners revealed at a gala event on Thursday, 26 June 2008 at The Marriott Marquis, Times Square, NY. The evening also included a special Social Entrepreneur Of The Year Award presented to Gary E. Knell, President and CEO of Sesame Workshop.

“We heartily congratulate this year’s winners on their success,” said Joseph Capparelli, Ernst & Young Metro New York Entrepreneur Of The Year Program Director. “The Entrepreneur Of The Year award recognizes all of the hard work, ingenuity and care these leaders have put into building and improving their businesses and communities. This group of winners is truly remarkable for all that they have accomplished.” Joseph continued “We are also delighted this year to have awarded Gary Knell with a very special Social Entrepreneur Of The Year Award for his visionary leadership of Sesame Workshop, the non-profit educational organization best known for its renowned program Sesame Street.”

Gary’s tenure as President and CEO of Sesame Workshop began in 1999 and it has become a truly global organization, helping children across the world realize their full potential regardless of their background or culture. A strong leader, Gary has restructured the nonprofit educational organization to promote collaboration and innovation; diversified the company’s revenues, shaped its philanthropic efforts; and secured future distribution, co-founding a 24-hour pre-school channel PBS KIDS Sprout.

The Metro New York winners for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award in 2008 are:

• Social Entrepreneur Of The Year Award
  Gary Knell, Sesame Workshop
• Business Services 
  Vikram Talwar, EXL Service
• Financial Services
  Seth Merrin, Liquidnet Holdings, Inc.
• Services 
  Marcelo Paladini, Cynergy Data
• Emerging
  David S.Kidder, Clickable
• E Services
  David Liu, The Knot, Inc.
• Media
  Donald Allman, Titan Worldwide
• Healthcare
  Jay Higham, IntegraMed America, Inc.
• Social Enterprise
  Jacqueline Novogratz, Acumen Fund
• Real Estate/Hospitality/Construction
  Zane Tankel, Apple-Metro, Inc.
• Retail & Consumer Services
  Anthony Corsano, Anvil Knitwear
  Maureen Kelly, Tarte, Inc.

Regional award winners will be eligible for consideration in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2008 national program. Winners in numerous national categories, as well as the overall national Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award winner, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, California, on 15 November 2008. The awards are the culminating event of the Ernst & Young Strategic Growth Forum, the nation’s most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies.

This year, the Entrepreneur Of The Year awards program celebrates its 22nd anniversary. The program has expanded to recognize business leaders in over 135 cities in 50 countries throughout the world. Awards are given to entrepreneurs who demonstrate extraordinary success in the areas of innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities.

Sponsors

Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year awards are pleased to have the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and SAP America as national sponsors. In the Metro New York Area, local sponsors include Platinum Sponsors HSBC, Marsh and Russell Reynolds Associates; Gold Sponsors Curran & Connors and Scherzer International and Silver Sponsors Bowne, WilmerHale and Withum Smith + Bro wn.

For more information about Entrepreneur Of The Year: www.ey.com/us/eoy. 

For more information about the Strategic Growth Forum: www.ey.com/us/strategicgrowthforum. 

About Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur Of The Year
Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur Of The Year is the world’s most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The award makes a difference through the unique 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, Ernst & Young 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 135 cities in 50 countries.

About Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. Worldwide, our 130,000 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 potential.

For more information, please visit www.ey.com. 

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 Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients.

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