DALLAS, June 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- EY has announced the award recipients of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award in the Southwest. This group of leading entrepreneurs was selected by an independent judging panel made up of previous award recipients, leading CEOs and other regional business leaders. The award recipients were recognized at a black-tie gala on June 25 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas.

"These inspiring leaders embody the dedication and vision it takes to achieve tremendous success," said Debra von Storch, EY Strategic Growth Markets Partner. "We are proud to recognize these entrepreneurs as well as their tremendous contributions to their communities and their industries." 

The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® Southwest panel of independent judges selected two iconic entrepreneurs for recognition:  Harold M. Brierley, Chairman and CEO, The Brierley Group, LLC, and Larry Lawson, President and CEO, Spirit AeroSystems.

Over 45 years, Harold "Hal" Brierley has founded and served as CEO of three major ventures, starting with Epsilon, Brierley & Partners and e-Rewards, Inc. Hal helped design loyalty programs, including American's AAdvantage, Hertz #1 Club Gold and Hilton HHonors. He served as VP of Sales and Advertising for Pan Am, launching the first global frequent traveler program and SVP Marketing for Continental Airlines.

As President and CEO of Spirit AeroSystems, Larry Lawson leads one of the world's largest non-OEM designers and manufacturers of aero structures for commercial aircraft. Larry joined Spirit in 2013 and began transforming the company by focusing on business fundamentals including efficiency, cost reduction and talent alignment. He has been the catalyst that enabled Spirit to stabilize critical maturing programs, divest non-profitable programs, improve efficiencies, and solidify the foundation for Spirit's future growth.

In addition to Mr. Brierley and Mr. Lawson's selection, following are the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2016 industry award recipients:

Consumer Products
Raj Malik, President and CEO, BIOWORLD Merchandising

Emerging Consumer Products
Kevin Lavelle, Founder and CEO, Mizzen+Main

Services
Steve Grimshaw, CEO, Caliber Collision Centers

Technology and Tech Services
Anurag Jain, Chairman, Access Healthcare

Emerging Technology
Scott Harper, Co-Founder and CEO, and Mark Haidar, Co-Founder and Chairman, Dialexa

Real Estate and Construction
Michael Dardick, CEO, and Greg Fuller, President and COO, Granite Properties

Energy
Steven Gray, CEO, RSP Permian

Retail
Kevin Miles, President and CEO, Zoës Kitchen

Health
Chris Roussos, President and CEO, Epic Health Services

The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® regional award winners are eligible for consideration for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® National Program.  Award recipients in several national categories, as well as the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® National Overall Award winner, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, California. The awards are the culminating event of the EY Strategic Growth Forum™, the nation's most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies. Additionally, venture-backed companies that win an Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award regionally are also eligible for the Venture Capital Award of Excellence at the national level.

The Entrepreneur Of The Year® National Overall Award winner then moves on to compete for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® World Award. Now in its 30th year, the program has expanded to recognize business leaders in more than 145 cities in more than 60 countries throughout the world.

Sponsors

Founded and produced by EY, the Entrepreneur Of The Year® Awards is sponsored in the United States by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, SAP America and Merrill Corporation. In the Southwest Region, sponsors include BBVA Compass, Colliers International, Haynes and Boone LLP, RHSB, M&M Special Events, D CEO Magazine and SocialStrategy1.

About EY's Strategic Growth Markets

EY's Strategic Growth Markets™ (SGM) practices guide leading high-growth companies. Our multidisciplinary teams of elite professionals provide perspective and advice to help our clients accelerate market leadership. SGM delivers assurance, tax, transactions and advisory services to thousands of companies spanning all industries. EY is the undisputed leader in taking companies public, advising key government agencies on the issues impacting high-growth companies and convening the experts who shape the business climate. For more information, please visit us at ey.com/us/strategicgrowthmarkets, or follow news on Twitter @EY_Growth.

About EY

EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

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This news release has been issued by Ernst & Young LLP, an EY member firm serving clients in the US.

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