Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) today announced the finalists for the Entrepreneur Of The Year^® 2024 Southeast Award. The Southeast program celebrates entrepreneurs from Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. 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 34 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 are bold entrepreneurs creating a lasting impression in their industries and communities," said Chevy Arnold, Entrepreneur Of The Year Southeast Program Co-Director. "Selected by an independent panel of judges, these trailblazers demonstrate unwavering dedication to their companies, customers and communities. We are delighted to recognize their successes,” added Kimberly Kicklighter, Entrepreneur Of The Year Southeast 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 Southeast finalists are:

Anisa Telwar Kaicker | Anisa International Inc | Atlanta, Georgia

David Millican IV | Arkadios Capital | Atlanta, Georgia

Dr. Diane Alexander | Artisan Plastic Surgery & Artisan Beaute | Atlanta, Georgia

Wayne Foreman Jr. | CDF Doors | Gallatin, Tennessee

Dr. Boykin Robinson | Core Clinical Partners | Atlanta, Georgia

Kirk Halpern | Farmers & Fishermen Purveyors | Norcross, Georgia

Ryan Jones | Florence Healthcare | Atlanta, Georgia

James Sasser | GovStrive | Dublin, Georgia

Nate Hybl | gusto! | Atlanta, Georgia

Richard Kretzschmar | Integration Innovation Inc. (i3) | Huntsville, Alabama

Shane Jackson | Jackson Healthcare, LLC | Alpharetta, Georgia

Paul Garofolo | Locus Biosciences | Morrisville, North Carolina

Bo Burdette IV | MGroup (MFLGH Inc.) | LaGrange, Georgia

Dominik Mjartan | Optus Bank | Columbia, South Carolina

Pramod Sajja | Paramount Software Solutions, Inc | Alpharetta, Georgia

Ashok Mathur | Patagonia Health Inc. | Cary, North Carolina

Jimmy Frangis | PDI Technologies | Alpharetta, Georgia

Deeannah Seymour | pH-D Feminine Health | Madison, Tennessee

Sajeev Tirath | Pyramid Consulting Inc. | Alpharetta, Georgia

Scott Hoots | QC Kinetix | Charlotte, North Carolina

Bill Bailey Jr. | Radiance Technologies, Inc.| Huntsville, Alabama

Scott MacKenzie | RevSpring | Nashville, Tennessee

Dr. Jin Kim | Rezolut | Atlanta, Georgia

Rod McDaniel | S3 Recycling Solutions | Springfield, Tennessee

Dave Penake | Saol Therapeutics | Roswell, Georgia

Pinky Cole Hayes | Slutty Vegan | Atlanta, Georgia

Duane Hixon | The N2 Company | Wilmington, North Carolina

Michael Jones | The Pallet Alliance, Inc. | Durham, North Carolina

Sean Goldsmith | The Zero Proof Holdings, Inc. | Atlanta, Georgia

Robin Shah | Thyme Care | Nashville, Tennessee

Melanie Cook | Veritas Management Group | Alpharetta, Georgia

Rich Balot | Victra | Raleigh, North Carolina

Anthony Zappitelli | Zapps Wholesale | Shelby, North Carolina

Latha Ganeshan | Zywie, Inc. | Johns Creek, Georgia

Learn more about the finalists at ey.com/us/eoysoutheast.

Regional award winners will be announced on June 20 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^®, one of the nation’s most prestigious gatherings of high-growth, market-leading companies. 

In addition to Entrepreneur Of The Year, EY US supports other entrepreneurs through the EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women™ program and the EY Entrepreneurs Access Network to help connect women founders and Black and Hispanic/Latino entrepreneurs, respectively, with the resources, network and access needed to unlock their full potential.

Sponsors

Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards include presenting sponsors PNC Bank, Cresa, Marsh USA, SAP and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. In the Southeast, sponsors also include regional Platinum sponsor VACO, regional Gold exclusive sponsor King & Spalding, and regional Silver sponsor ADP.