EY US unveils Entrepreneur Of The Year^® 2026 New York Award finalists

Recognizing ambitious leaders who are shaping the future of their industries

New York City, April 21, 2026 – Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) today announced the finalists for the Entrepreneur Of The Year^® 2026 New York Award. Now in its 41st year, the Entrepreneur Of The Year^® program celebrates the bold leaders who disrupt markets through the world’s most ground-breaking companies, revolutionizing industries and uplifting communities. The program honors entrepreneurs whose innovations drive economic growth and help shape the future of business. The New York program celebrates entrepreneurs in New York and Connecticut.

An independent panel of judges selected 32 finalists based on their entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, company growth and lasting impact in building long-term value.

“This year’s finalists are bold entrepreneurs making a lasting mark on their industries and communities across New York,” said Toni Clayton-Hine, Entrepreneur Of The Year^® New York Program Co-Director.

“Chosen by an independent panel of judges, their companies are creating jobs, accelerating innovation and strengthening the regional business community. We’re thrilled to celebrate their success,” said Noelle Calautti, Entrepreneur Of The Year^® New York 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 strengthen it for the future.

The 2026 New York finalists are:

• Jay McHarg | AeroSafe Global | Rochester, NY
• Brad Charron | ALOHA | Darien, CT
• Drew DiSilvestro, Jr. | AmeriTech Contracting | Berlin, CT
• Scott Dancy | Azuna | Buffalo, NY
• Joshua Shapiro | Baseball Lifestyle 101 | Farmingdale, NY
• Jason Caparoso and Maryann Pagano | BlackHawk Data | New York, NY
• Sameer Malhotra | Cafe Spice | New Windsor, NY
• Jordan Nathan | Caraway Home | New York, NY
• Jeremy Fain | Cognitiv | New York, NY
• Jim Rowley | Crunch Fitness | New York, NY
• Robert S. Cortright | DriveWealth | New York, NY
• Jay Rittberg | Euclid Transactional | New York, NY
• Joseph Mrak III | Foundation Source | Fairfield, CT
• Johnny Lieberman | Harbor IT | New York, NY
• Andy Reiser | Kapitus | New York, NY
• Adam Price | Kinetic | New York, NY
• Brian Litvack | Leagueapps | New York, NY
• Justin Kerzner | Magic Science Corporation | Brooklyn, NY
• Sagar Khatri | Multiplier | New York, NY
• Sina Chehrazi | Nayya | New York, NY
• Peter Haskopoulos and Stephen Coats | Petra Funds Group | New York, NY
• Michael Martin | RapidSOS | New York, NY
• Mark Ciaburri and Matthew Riss | Redefine Meals | Bayshore, NY
• Sebastian Jimenez | Rilla | Long Island City, NY
• Eido Gal | Riskified | New York, NY
• Ron Rudzin | Saatva | Whitestone, NY
• Ryan Serhant | SERHANT. | New York, NY
• Dilip Rao | Sharebite | New York, NY
• Andrew Chester | TELYON | Old Saybrook, CT
• Sam Li | Thoropass | New York, NY
• James Ranalli III | United Auto Supply | Syracuse, NY
• Christie Horvath | Wagmo | New York, NY

Learn more about the finalists at ey.com/us/eoy/newyork.

Regional award winners will be announced on June 16 during a special celebration. The winners will then be considered by the national independent panel of judges for the Entrepreneur Of The Year^® National Awards, which will be presented in November at the annual Strategic Growth Forum^®.

Sponsors

Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year^® Awards include presenting sponsors PNC Bank, Cresa, LLC, Marsh USA, SAP and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. In New York, sponsors also include regional platinum sponsor Donnelley Financial Solutions (DFIN), regional gold sponsors ADP and DLA Piper, and regional silver sponsor Stagedge.

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 80 countries and territories 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 national overall winner represents the US at the World Entrepreneur Of The Year^® competition. Visit ey.com/us/eoy.

About EY

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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.

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All in to shape the future with confidence.

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