NEW YORK, May 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ernst & Young LLP today announced the finalists for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2012 Award in the New York region. The awards program recognizes entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Award winners will be announced at a special gala on June 19, 2012 at the Marriott Marquis.

The finalists are:

• Dwight Merriman- Co-founder and CEO, 10gen
• Brian O'Kelley- Co-Founder and CEO, AppNexus
• Mike Nolet- Co-Founder and CTO, AppNexus
• Donald Berman- Chairman and CEO, CardWorks, Inc.
• Hamdi Ulukaya- Founder, President and CEO, Chobani, Inc.
• Charles S. Cohen- President and CEO, Cohen Brothers Realty Corporation
• Rich Antoniello- President and CEO, Complex Media
• John George Edelman-President and CEO, Design Within Reach, Inc.
• John Joseph McPhee- Chief Operating Officer, Design Within Reach, Inc.
• Kevin S. Neumaier- President and CEO, Ecology and Environment, Inc.
• Michael J. Margiotta- Chairman and CEO, eHealth Global Technologies, Inc.
• Scott Meyer- CEO, Evidon
• Ruediger Adolf- Founder and CEO, Focus Financial Partners, LLC
• Richard L. Miller- CEO, Gym Source
• Paul Hurley- Founder and CEO, ideeli
• Ron Moelis- Co-Founder and CEO, L+M Development Partners, Inc.
• Stephen Ehrlich- CEO, Lightspeed Financial, Inc.
• Kevin Fortuna- Co-Founder and CEO, Lot18
• Philip James- Co-Founder and President, Lot18
• Christopher Mellon- CEO, Maines Paper & Food Service
• Richard McVey- Chairman and CEO, MarketAxess Holdings, Inc.
• Dr. Joseph V. Gulfo- Chairman, President, and CEO, MELA Sciences, Inc.
• Richard Smiedt- Founder and CEO, Move Collective LLC
• Dan Porter- CEO, OMGPOP, Inc.
• Jacob Susman- CEO, OwnEnergy, Inc.
• Marc Richard Viscogliosi- Chairman and CEO, Paradigm Spine, LLC
• Rebecca Minkoff- Co-Founder and Creative Director, Rebecca Minkoff, LLC
• Uri Minkoff- Co-Founder and CEO, Rebecca Minkoff, LLC
• Jennifer Fleiss- Co-Founder and President, Rent the Runway
• Jennifer Hyman- Co-Founder and CEO, Rent the Runway
• Matt Blumberg- Chairman and CEO, Return Path
• Josh Koppel- Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, ScrollMotion
• John Lema- Co-Founder and CEO, ScrollMotion
• Jon Oringer- Founder and CEO, Shutterstock
• Clifford Lerner- President and CEO, SNAP Interactive, Inc.
• Eric Shepcaro- CEO, Telx
• Ken Austin- Founder and Chairman, Tequila Avion
• Shelby Johnson- President, Theodore Williams Construction Company, LLC
• Christophe Garnier- President and Chief Marketing Officer, TOTSY
• Guillaume Gauthereau- Co-Founder and CEO, TOTSY
• Michael Fallquist- CEO, Viridian Energy
• Dr. Roger Shedlin-Founder and Chairman, WIN Fertility, Inc.

Now in its 26th year, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Program has expanded to recognize business leaders in more than 140 cities in more than 50 countries throughout the world.

Regional award winners are eligible for consideration for the Ernst & Young National Entrepreneur Of The Year Program. Award winners in several national categories, as well as the Ernst & Young National Entrepreneur Of The Year Overall Award winner, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, California, on November 17, 2012. The awards are the culminating event of the Ernst & Young Strategic Growth Forum®, the nation's most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies.

Sponsors 
Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are nationally sponsored in the United States by SAP America and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

In New York sponsors include Marsh, HSBC, Scherzer International, Merrill Corporation, SolomonEdwardsGroup, Empire Valuation Consultants, WithumSmith +Brown, Murray Devine, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, Morgan Lewis & Bockius, DLA Piper and Cooley.

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About Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year®

Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year is the world's most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The unique award makes a difference through the way it encourages entrepreneurial activity among those with potential, and recognizes the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. As the first and only truly global award of its kind, Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 140 cities in more than 50 countries.

About Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. Worldwide, our 152,000 people are united by our shared values and an unwavering commitment to quality. We make a difference by helping our people, our clients and our wider communities achieve their potential.

Ernst & Young refers to the global organization of 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. For more information about our organization, please visit www.ey.com.

This news release has been issued by Ernst & Young LLP, a US client-serving member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited.

SOURCE Ernst & Young LLP