EY Announces Winners for the Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2019 Gulf Coast Area Award

EY builds on three decades of honoring unstoppable entrepreneurs in the Gulf Coast Area.

EY is pleased to announce the winners of the Entrepreneur Of The Year^® Award in the Gulf Coast Area. This group of unstoppable entrepreneurial leaders transforming our world was selected by an independent judging panel made up of previous award winners, leading CEOs, investors and other regional business leaders. The winners were unveiled at a special gala on June 21 at the Marriott Marquis Houston.

“There are many successful entrepreneurs in this world, but to build something truly remarkable, you can’t let anything stand in your way,” said Debra von Storch, EY Americas Entrepreneur Of The Year Program Director. “EY is proud to honor the 2019 Entrepreneur Of The Year winners who are inspiring innovation without limitation and fueling growth and prosperity by being truly unstoppable.”

The winners for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2019 Gulf Coast Area Award include:

Ben Richter, CEO, Bradford Airport Logistics, Houston, Texas

John Mark Cavitt, Founder and CEO, Covenant Testing Technologies, LLC, Sugarland, Texas

William Leslie Doggett, Sr., President and CEO, Doggett Equipment Services Group, Houston, Texas

Brandon Dewan, CEO, Eagle Pipe, LLC, Houston, Texas

Stuart Bradie, President and CEO, KBR, Inc., Houston, Texas

Warner Thomas, President and CEO, Ochsner Health System, New Orleans, Louisiana

Michael Plank, Chairman and CEO, The Plank Companies, Houston, Texas

Bill Way, President and CEO, Southwestern Energy, Spring, Texas

Marc Jones, CEO, Sunpro Solar, Mandeville, Louisiana

Chris Meaux, Founder and CEO, Waitr Holdings Inc., Lake Charles, Louisiana

Since its founding in 1986, the program has expanded to recognize business leaders in more than 145 cities in more than 60 countries throughout the world. 

Regional award winners are now eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards.  Award winners in several national categories, as well as the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner, will be announced at the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards gala in Palm Springs, California, on November 16, 2019. The awards are the culminating event of the Strategic Growth Forum^®, the nation’s most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies. The Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner then moves on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Award in Monaco in June 2019.

The Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2019 Gulf Coast area winners

Sponsors

Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are nationally sponsored by SAP America and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

In the Gulf Coast Area, sponsors also include Colliers International, Dawson Financial Services, DLA Piper, ADP, Solomon Edwards, Chatham Financial, Pierpont Communications and the Houston Business Journal.

About Entrepreneur Of The Year®

Entrepreneur Of The Year®, founded by EY, is the world’s most prestigious business awards program for entrepreneurs. The program 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 awards program 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 145 cities in more than 60 countries. ey.com/eoy

About EY’s Growth Markets Network

EY’s worldwide Growth Markets Network is dedicated to serving the changing needs of high-growth companies. For more than 30 years, we’ve helped many of the world’s most dynamic and ambitious companies grow into market leaders. Whether working with international mid-cap companies or early stage, venture-backed businesses, our professionals draw upon their extensive experience, insight and global resources to help your business succeed. For more information, please visit us at ey.com/gm or follow news on Twitter @EY_Growth.

About EY

EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

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