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EY taps 14 Virginians as Mid-Atlantic Entrepreneur of the Year finalists

Fourteen Virginia business leaders are among the 30 finalists for Ernst & Young’s 2024 Mid-Atlantic Entrepreneur of the Year award.

EY announced the finalists, selected by a panel of independent judges, on April 22. The Big Four professional services company will name the regional awards winners on June 15.

The Virginia finalists include:

  • Anil Sharma, CEO of 22nd Century Technologies, Tysons
  • Kevin Kelly, chair and CEO of Arcfield, Chantilly
  • Julie Sciullo, CEO of Association Analytics, Arlington County
  • Sukumar Iyer, founder, executive chair and CEO of Brillient, Reston
  • Sid Chowdhary, founder and CEO of Credence Management Solutions, Tysons
  • Dan Berkon, CEO and president of Culmen International, Alexandria
  • Tom Walker, founder and CEO of DroneUp, Virginia Beach
  • Burton White, co-founder and CEO of Excella, Arlington County
  • Tim McLaughlin, co-founder and CEO of GoTab, Arlington County
  • Tim Springer, founder and CEO of Level Access, Arlington County
  • Kristina Bouweiri, president and CEO of Reston Limousine, Sterling
  • Dave Sterling, founder and CEO of Royce Geospatial Consultants, Arlington County
  • Glenn Diersen, founder and president of Summit Human Capital, Richmond
  • Tobias Dengel, president of WillowTree, Charlottesville

EY’s Mid-Atlantic region covers Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. Of the 30 finalists, nine were from Maryland, and the remaining seven from the District. In total, the mid-Atlantic regional finalists generated nearly $2.8 billion in 2023 and employed more than 16,000 people. Over the most recent three-year period, they averaged an 86% growth in revenue and a 38% growth in employees.

In the U.S., the EY competition is divided into 17 regions. Regional winners compete in November for national awards, and the national winner represents the U.S. in EY’s World Entrepreneur of the Year competition, which includes winners from nearly 60 countries. EY founded its Entrepreneur of the Year program in 1986.

EY taps seven Va. biz leaders as mid-Atlantic entrepreneurs of year

Seven Virginia business leaders have been named winners of Ernst & Young LLP’s Mid-Atlantic Entrepreneur of the Year Award for 2023. 

The winners, named Friday by the Big Four multinational professional services company, include:

  • Aptive Resources | Rachele Cooper, founder and CEO, Alexandria
  • Cuisine Solutions Inc. | Felipe Hasselmann, CEO and president, Sterling
  • Foster Fuels Inc. | Watt Foster Jr., CEO and president, Brookneal
  • Groundworks | Matt Malone, founder and CEO, Virginia Beach
  • Joyebells | Joye B. Moore, founder and CEO, Richmond
  • ShiftMed | Todd Walrath, founder and CEO, McLean
  • Stori | Bin Chen, founder and CEO, Arlington County

Altogether, EY presented Mid-Atlantic Enterpreneur of the Year Awards to 11 entrepreneurs from Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland. Awards were based on demonstration of building long-term value through entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth and impact, as well as other attributes. Finalists for the Mid-Atlantic awards were announced in May. 

“Every year, we are completely blown away by the accomplishments of our Entrepreneur Of The Year Regional Award winners, and 2023 is no different,” AJ Jordan, EY Americas Entrepreneur Of The Year program director, said in a statement. “They are change-makers and champions of business and community, and we are so proud to be honoring them. We can’t wait to see how these leaders will continue to improve lives and disrupt industries.”

Presented since 1986, EY’s entrepreneur awards have recognized more than 11,000 U.S. executives. Regional winners will be considered by national judges for the U.S. Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, and that winner will compete for the World Entrepreneur of the Year Award in June 2024. 

Aptive Resources, a government services firm that provides mission support for programs across the government, is led by Cooper, a Navy veteran and aerospace engineer. The company was ranked No. 565 on Inc. 5000’s list of the nation’s fastest growing privately held companies last year. 

Cuisine Solutions, a sous vide manufacturing business based in Sterling, sent truckloads of food to Ukraine last year. The company’s clients include Starbucks Coffee Co., United Airlines Inc., McLean-based Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. and Costco Wholesale Corp. 

“On behalf of our thousands of employees worldwide at Cuisine Solutions, I am honored to be acknowledged as the CEO of one of the most entrepreneurial companies in the region by the Ernst & Young team,” Hasselmann said in a statement provided to Virginia Business. “At our company, it has always been a team effort and outcome, and I am incredibly thankful for the passion and dedication I witness every day. My focus, as with all my colleagues, is to continue to transform the culinary marketplace and expand our role as the global leader in sous vide food manufacturing. The future is incredibly bright for our company, as well as the art and science of sous vide.”

Foster Fuels, established in 1921, provides residential, commercial, agricultural, transport and emergency fuel services. Based in Campbell County, the company has more than 200 employees and has responded to major disasters including Hurricane Katrina, the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the 2021 Texas ice storm and Hurricane Ian, according to the company. It also provides support to Fortune 500 companies. 

“It’s with great pride that the entire Foster Fuels team celebrates President and CEO Watt Foster’s 2023 EY Mid-Atlantic Entrepreneur of the Year award,” Cameron Anctil, the company’s vice president of marketing, said. “As a third-generation owner of Foster Fuels, Watt Foster carries on a strong legacy of entrepreneurial leadership with forward-thinking focus on innovation.” 

Virginia Beach-based Groundworks is a foundation services and water management solutions provider comprised of 21 brands and with offices across the country. Founded by Malone in 2016, it made the 2020 Inc. 5000 list of the nation’s fastest-growing privately owned companies. This year, it has expanded to five new markets and now employs more than 4,000 workers. 

“This honor is the result of a team effort and should be shared by the entire company,” Malone said in a statement. “Great companies are built by great people, and I’m proud to serve the men and women who have dedicated themselves to the Groundworks mission.”

Moore founded Joyebells in 2019 after a layoff. She’s a sixth-generation sweet potato pie baker, and spent 30 years baking pies to give as gifts during the holidays, according to a 2021 profile in Southern Living magazine. She started off selling pies in Richmond; Food Lion, Sam’s Club and QVC now carry her pies and the company projected $10.4 million revenue in 2022, according to the Richmond-Times Dispatch.

ShiftMed is a mobile app that gives nurses and health care providers the ability to schedule shifts with more than 1,500 partners across the country. The software company, founded by Walrath in 2019, landed at No. 1,713 on the 2022 Inc. 5000 list. The company announced in February that it had raised $200 million to expand its footprint.

“Being named one of EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award winners is one of my proudest moments of my career. This award is meaningful to me as it recognizes the collective efforts, dedication and impact of my entrepreneurship journey to improving the future of healthcare,” Walrath told Virginia Business. “It is an honor to stand alongside many prominent business leaders in Virginia who have made remarkable contributions to their respective fields. This prestigious recognition serves as a reminder of the power of perseverance, innovation and the unwavering belief in the transformative potential of entrepreneurship.”

Stori is a financial tech company co-founded by CEO Chen in 2018 that us seeking to her the underbanked population in Latin America. In 2022, the company announced it had a $150 million financing round, bringing its value up to $1.2 billion.

 

EY names eight Virginians mid-Atlantic entrepreneurs of year

Eight leaders from six Virginia businesses have been named winners of Ernst & Young LLP’s Mid-Atlantic Entrepreneur of the Year Award for 2022.

The winners, named in early July by the Big Four multinational professional services company, include:

  • 10Pearls | Imran Aftab, co-founder and CEO, Vienna
  • Aireon LLC | Don Thoma, founder and CEO, McLean
  • ID.me | Blake Hall, co-founder and CEO, McLean
  • Iron Bow Technologies | Rene LaVigne, president and CEO, Herndon
  • KIHOMAC | Ki Ho Kang, founder and CEO, Reston
  • RHOBACK | Kevin Hubbard, Kristina Loftus and Matt Loftus, co-founders, Charlottesville

Altogether, EY presented Mid-Atlantic Entrepreneur of the Year Awards to 15 entrepreneurs from 13 companies based in Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland. Awards were based on demonstration of long-term value through entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth and impact, as well as other values.

Since its launch in 1986, the EY entrepreneurs award program has expanded to recognize business leaders in more than 145 cities in more than 60 countries throughout the world. Regional award winners will be considered by judges for the national award, which will be presented in November. That winner will compete for EY’s world entrepreneur award in June 2023.

Aftab, of 10Pearls, launched the digital development company with $2,000 in Pakistan in 2004 and now employs more than 1,200 people with offices around the globe. He was a finalist for the mid-Atlantic award in 2020.

“I am so honored and grateful to win this prestigious award and be recognized amongst such great entrepreneurs,” Aftab said in a statement. “It seems like yesterday when I was discussing with Zeeshan Aftab, my brother and co-founder, the idea of creating a better world through opportunity creation and giving back. The evolution and maturation of 10Pearls as a global enterprise while preserving our ‘double bottom-line’ culture and values is one of our proudest accomplishments. This recognition is a true reflection of the entire team’s hard work and passion. The team is unstoppable, and we cannot be more excited about the future.”

Aireon, a global air traffic surveillance company, was founded by Thoma in 2011.

“Although I was the face of the award, this is a tremendous recognition for Aireon,” Thoma said. “Nothing as innovative, global, and impactful as Aireon happens without a team of dedicated, innovative, and passionate professionals. That is what we have at Aireon and it is great to hear the judges’ comments recognizing our team for this big achievement.”

Tech company ID.me is known for its facial recognition software. In June, the company laid off 54 employees months after the Internal Revenue Service and other government agencies said they would drop plans to require taxpayers to use their software. The firm has also been the subject of a House Committee on Oversight and Reform investigation.

Iron Bow Technologies provides information technology solutions to the government, commercial and health care clients.

“It is such an honor to be recognized alongside a list of so many outstanding individuals and by such a highly reputable brand such as EY,” Lavigne said. “The growth and maturation of Iron Bow has been my proudest accomplishment as an entrepreneur and receiving this award is just as much a reflection on my team and their hard work as it is mine. My time at Iron Bow has truly been a great ride and one that I look forward to continuing!”

KIHOMAC was founded in 2003 by Kang, an Air Force veteran, and works to extend military aerospace weapons systems.

RHOBACK is an activewear company founded by a couple who attended the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business along with another friend. The company won the 2016 EDENS Retail Challenge.

 

The evolving workplace (or what I wish I told my younger self)

In 1983, when I walked through the doors of my first job in Washington, D.C., I could have never anticipated where life would take me — from a young staff accountant to a vice chair at Ernst & Young, advising C-suites and boards, as well as leading thousands of professionals. And now it’s bittersweet to be retiring from EY in just a few short weeks.

This spring, as graduates everywhere are preparing to navigate their transition to the professional world, I’d like to share three things I’ve learned over the decades — and what I would tell my younger self.

First, the workplace has evolved in countless ways. Interoffice memos gave way to email and instant messaging, executive teams have thankfully diversified, and long gone is the idea that bosses must be stern overseers. Today, the most effective leaders know that authenticity, listening to others and showing empathy are key to winning trust. Now, it’s not only welcomed, but encouraged, that we bring our whole selves to work.

About eight years ago, my youngest son came out as transgender. While I had long prided myself on supporting diversity, equity and inclusion, this was a transformative moment. With my son’s permission, I shared openly about our family’s journey, hoping to convey to LGBTQ+ people that they are seen, cherished and valued. I then leveraged my influence to advocate for change, working to pass anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination laws in Virginia and Massachusetts and to lobby Congress in support of the Equality Act.

It’s clear that people don’t want to work for bosses: they want to work for, and with, real people. Being yourself, and being open and honest, helps create trust with your teams, as does listening to their ideas and respecting others’ perspectives.

Second, I’ve also learned about the power of servant leadership. I’ve lived through terrible events, from 9/11 to several recessions to social injustices and now the pandemic. Each of these challenges has underscored that, in times of crisis, leaders are meant to serve, not be served.

In 2009, I was leading our Strategy and Transactions team when the financial crisis struck. Our business worked on corporate transactions, and I immediately focused on the economic fallout. But that moment was not about my fears. My teams were anxious and afraid, and I realized I needed to be calm and show others that I cared rather than put myself first.

On an aircraft carrier, the officers are always the last to eat. Bring this mindset into your career: Focus on serving your teams and meeting their needs before your own.

Lastly, like many people, staying at home during the pandemic helped me find a balance for the first time in years. I recognize that I’m lucky; my kids are young adults, and I haven’t been juggling virtual school with a full-time career. But if there’s one small silver lining of the pandemic, it’s that talking about emotional wellbeing and preventing burnout is no longer taboo.

Earlier in my career, I contemplated quitting on three separate occasions. I loved my job but was burned out. Turns out that working 16-hour days for 18 months with no vacation is a recipe for exhaustion and cynicism, and I had to learn the hard way that it’s not selfish to set boundaries. I am hopeful that today’s professionals are now keenly aware that prioritizing their mental, physical and emotional health is a must.

At this turning point, I look back at my younger self with empathy and nostalgia and am grateful for all my life experiences to date. To tomorrow’s leaders: learn your own lessons, pass them on to future generations and enjoy the ride. Take it from me — the years will fly by faster than you can imagine.

Based in Northern Virginia, Richard Jeanneret is a vice chair and U.S. east region managing partner for Ernst & Young, a position in which he has led more than 12,000 East Coast professionals. He previously served as EY Americas Strategy and Transactions Leader. Jeanneret holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Boston College. He is an ex officio board member of the Partnership for New York City, a member of the Economic Clubs of New York and Washington, D.C., and a board member for Vienna-based Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, the Lincoln Center Business Advisory Council, Over & Above Africa and Out Leadership’s Global Advisory Board. Jeanneret is retiring as of July 1, 2022.