EY names 7 Virginians Mid-Atlantic Entrepreneurs of the Year

Seven Virginia business leaders have been named winners of Ernst & Young’s Mid-Atlantic Entrepreneur of the Year Award for 2026.

The Big Four global professional services company named the winners last month. They are:

• Wahid Nawabi, chairman, president and CEO of AeroVironment in Arlington County
• Nick McCarter, CEO of Chartis Federal in Leesburg
• Mark Jacobsen, co-founder and CEO of IntraFi in Arlington
• Neal Piper, founder and CEO of Luminoah in Charlottesville
• Daniel Coleman, CEO of Principle Choice Solutions in Woodbridge
• Stephen Raeder, chairman and CEO of Summit Ridge Energy in Arlington
• Craig Dixon, co-founder and co-CEO of The St. James in Springfield

These seven were among the 12 business leaders EY recognized from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. An independent panel of past winners, top CEOs and business leaders selected the winners. The candidates were judged on long-term value creation, entrepreneurial spirit, purpose-driven commitment and significant growth and impact.

“The Entrepreneur of the Year 2026 Mid-Atlantic Award winners are visionaries reshaping their industries and redefining what it means to lead as entrepreneurs,” Steve Canaras, Entrepreneur of the Year Mid-Atlantic program co-director, said in a statement.

EY founded its EOY award in 1986. While the program has expanded to nearly 60 countries globally, in the U.S. the award is divided into 17 regions.

Nawabi’s AeroVironment is a global defense tech company that EY credits for developing innovative technologies that ensure mission success for the U.S. and its allied forces. In particular, EY notes the company has advanced next-generation autonomy, AI, software and precision strike capabilities and pioneered small uncrewed aircraft systems.

Jacobsen’s IntraFi provides Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.-insured deposit placement services that help thousands of banks strengthen customer relationships, fund more loans and manage liquidity. Meanwhile, McCarter’s Chartis Federal is a systems engineering and integration firm that delivers advanced engineering, program management and emerging technology solutions to support complex missions for critical U.S. federal agencies.

Luminoah, founded by Piper, offers a small, lightweight, portable enteral pump compatible with smartphones and capable of tracking nutritional intake. The company says it combines portability, precision and connected technology in a system designed for patients and clinicians. Its product received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in April.

Coleman’s Principle Choice Solutions is a veteran-owned small business that delivers healthcare support, education and direct care services to clients in all U.S. states. On its website, EY praised the company for a culture that celebrates each associate’s success.

“By keeping associates at the forefront of leadership decisions, it has been able to align each individual’s personal development to their professional goals and with the company’s overall vision,” EY said on its website. “This translates to an incredible team, able to satisfy the client’s unique objectives.”

Summit Ridge Energy develops and operates distributed solar and battery energy storage systems, while The St. James is building a premier platform for sports specialty education, athletic development and wellness.

The regional award winners will advance for consideration for the Entrepreneur of the Year National Awards, to be presented in November at the annual Strategic Growth Forum in Palm Springs, California. Whoever wins the national award will move on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year Award in May 2027.