EY US announces winners for the Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2025 Heartland Award

Celebrating the bold leaders shaping the future through the world’s most ground-breaking companies

Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) proudly announces the winners of the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 Heartland Award, honoring visionary leaders of high-growth companies driving innovation, growth and prosperity for future generations. The Heartland program celebrates entrepreneurs from the Dakotas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, and Nebraska. For 40 years, EY US has celebrated ambitious entrepreneurs who are transforming industries, impacting communities and creating long-term value.

Regional winners were selected by an independent panel of past winners, top CEOs and business leaders. Judges evaluated candidates on long-term value creation, entrepreneurial spirit, purpose-driven commitment and significant growth and impact.

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 strengthen it for the future.

"The Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 Heartland Award winners are true pioneers, pushing the boundaries of excellence and establishing new standards within their fields," says Erin Donovan, EY partner and Heartland program director. "These remarkable leaders exemplify what it means to grow a business while placing a strong emphasis on their employees, customers, and the communities they serve."

The Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 Heartland Award winners are:

Tom Barrett & Sarah Barrett Reiner | Barrett Petfood | Brainerd, Minnesota

Ben Jackson | Bungii LLC | Overland Park, Kansas

Martin Gross | Gross-Wen Technologies | Slater, Iowa

Chris Hoffmann | HB Solutions Group | Brentwood, Missouri

Mike Blue | HistoSonics | Plymouth, Minnesota

Lindsay Mullenger | Petite Keep, LLC | Saint Louis, Missouri

Shashi Yadiki | Smart Data Solutions | Eagan, Minnesota

Michael E. Jordan | UNRL | Saint Paul, Minnesota

Charlie Tetrick | Walz Tetrick Advertising | Mission, Kansas

Bret Weiss | WSB | Golden Valley, Minnesota

Learn more about the winners at ey.com/en_us/entrepreneur-of-the-year-us/regional-programs

These regional award winners will now move on to be considered for the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards, set to be presented in November at the annual Strategic Growth Forum^®, one of the nation’s most prestigious gatherings of high-growth, market-leading companies. The Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner will then represent the US as they compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Award in June 2026.

 Entrepreneur Of The Year Award winners become lifetime members of a global, multi-industry community of entrepreneurs. They receive exclusive, ongoing access to the experience, insight and wisdom of program alumni and other ecosystem members in more than 60 countries — all supported by vast EY resources.

Sponsors

Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards include presenting sponsors PNC Bank, Cresa, LLC, Marsh McLennan Agency, and SAP. In Heartland, sponsors also include regional Platinum sponsor, Twin Cities Business, regional Gold sponsor, Padilla, and regional Silver sponsor, Brillect.

About Entrepreneur Of The Year

Founded in 1986, Entrepreneur Of The Year has celebrated more than 11,000 ambitious visionaries who are leading successful, dynamic businesses in the US, and it has since expanded to nearly 60 countries globally.

The US program consists of 17 regional programs whose panels of independent judges select the regional award winners every June. Those winners compete for national recognition at the Strategic Growth Forum® in November where National finalists and award winners are announced. The overall National winner represents the US at the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ competition. Visit ey.com/us/eoy.

About EY

EY is building a better working world by creating new value for clients, people, society and the planet, while building trust in capital markets.

Enabled by data, AI and advanced technology, EY teams help clients shape the future with confidence and develop answers for the most pressing issues of today and tomorrow.

EY teams work across a full spectrum of services in assurance, consulting, tax, strategy and transactions. Fueled by sector insights, a globally connected, multi-disciplinary network and diverse ecosystem partners, EY teams can provide services in more than 150 countries and territories.

All in to shape the future with confidence.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the 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. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via ey.com/privacy. EY member firms do not practice law where prohibited by local laws. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.