LOS ANGELES, May 3, 2024 – Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) today announced the finalists for the Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2024 Greater Los Angeles Award. Now in its 38th year, Entrepreneur Of The Year is the preeminent competitive business award for audacious leaders who disrupt markets, revolutionize industries and have a transformational impact on lives. Over the past four decades, the program has recognized the daring entrepreneurs with big ideas and bold actions that reshape our world.
These 27 entrepreneurs were selected as finalists by an independent panel of judges. The candidates were evaluated based on their demonstration of building long-term value through entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth and impact, among other core contributions and attributes.
“This year's finalists truly represent our vibrant entrepreneurial community in Los Angeles, where innovation thrives among a rich tapestry of cultures and ideas," said Kim Harrington, Entrepreneur Of The Year Greater Los Angeles Program Co-Director.
"Selected by an independent panel of judges, these trailblazers exemplify unwavering dedication to their companies, customers, and communities. We are thrilled to acknowledge their successes," said Bridget Ahern, Entrepreneur Of The Year Greater Los Angeles Program Co-Director.
Entrepreneur Of The Year honors many different types of business leaders for their ingenuity, courage and entrepreneurial spirit. The program celebrates original founders who bootstrapped their business from inception or who raised outside capital to grow their company; transformational CEOs who infused innovation into an existing organization to catapult its trajectory; and multigenerational family business leaders who reimagined a legacy business model to fortify it for the future.
The 2024 Greater Los Angeles finalists are:
Sanford Mann | American Hartford Gold | Los Angeles
AJ Abdallat | Beyond Limits | Glendale
Greg LaVecchia and Mari Llewellyn | Bloom Nutrition | Venice
Dustin Sakr, Michael Sakr, and Omar Sakr | Civil Clothing/Darc Sport | Torrance
Jasmin Larian Hekmat | Cult Gaia | Los Angeles
Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan, Bill Phelps, Gary Rubenyan, and Tommy Rubenyan | Dave’s Hot Chicken | Pasadena
David Yeom | Evite | Glendale
Ben Eachus | Flowspace | Los Angeles
Larry Wu | GigaCloud Technology | El Monte
Daniel Winer | HexClad | Los Angeles
Darren Litt | Hiya Health | Los Angeles
Cameron Funk | InCharge Energy | Santa Monica
Cassandra Thurswell | Kitsch | Los Angeles
Will Ferrell, Larry Freedman, and Bennett Rosenthal | LAFC | Los Angeles
Everett Sands | Lendistry | Los Angeles
Katlyn Gao | LOVB | Hermosa Beach
Peter Fisher and Alexander Israel | Metropolis | Los Angeles
Parker Morse | My Code | Santa Monica
Gene Sheridan | Navitas Semiconductor | Torrance
Melissa Palmer | OSEA Malibu | Malibu
Jay Ackerman | Reveleer | Glendale
John Keatley and Caleb Morse | Scratch Financial | Pasadena
Amir Mansouri | SprintRay | Los Angeles
Loren Castle | Sweet Loren’s | Los Angeles
Andrew Blackmon | The Black Tux | Gardena
Amy Liu | Tower 28 Beauty | Los Angeles
Matthew Johnson and Nathan Johnson | TruConnect | Los Angeles
Learn more about the finalists at ey.com/us/eoygreaterla.