K9 Resorts Co-Founders Named Winner of EY's Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2025 New Jersey Award

Prestigious Recognition Honors the Visionary Leaders Behind the Nation's Fastest-Growing Luxury Pet Hotel Brand

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, N.J., June 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel is excited to announce that its Co-Founders and Co-CEOs, Jason and Steven Parker, have been named the 2025 Entrepreneur Of The Year^® New Jersey Award winners by Ernst & Young LLP (EY US). The preeminent competitive awards program for entrepreneurs of high-growth companies, Entrepreneur of the Year celebrates ambitious leaders who are transforming industries, impacting communities, and creating long-term value.

K9 Resorts was chosen by an independent panel of past winners, top CEOs and business leaders. Judges assessed candidates on long-term value creation, entrepreneurial spirit, purpose-driven commitment and significant growth and impact.

"Being named an Entrepreneur Of The Year is incredibly humbling and deeply validating," said Jason. "What started as a childhood dream between my brother and I has grown into a nationally recognized brand. This award is not just a celebration of what we've built, it's a testament to the trust our franchisees, team members, and pet parents place in us every single day."

As a New Jersey award winner, K9 Resorts is now eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 National Awards. The National Award winners, including the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner, will be announced in November at the Strategic Growth Forum^®, one of the nation's most prestigious gatherings of high-growth, market-leading companies. The Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner will then move on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year^™ Award in June 2026.

"This recognition is a reflection of the incredible people who make K9 Resorts what it is," said Steven. "From our passionate franchisees to our hardworking staff at every location, we've built a system that puts excellence and compassion at the center. We're honored to lead a company that is changing the way people think about pet care."

Entrepreneur Of The Year recognizes 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 strengthen it for the future.

The foundation of K9 Resorts is rooted in a passion for pets, as the Parker brothers were only 14 and 12 years old when they launched their first dog walking business. Their venture quickly took off which further inspired them to build a career within the pet industry, and a few years later, the first K9 Resorts location opened in 2005. Grounded in their commitment to excellence, compassion, and innovation, the brand has grown into a nationally recognized leader in luxury pet care.

With pet ownership continuing to increase and more than 50% of U.S. households owning a dog (64 million), the demand for pet services is greater than ever. K9 Resorts is meeting that demand with the unmatched quality of its services and facilities, and is poised to further dominate the sector and maintain its position as an industry leader.

K9 Resorts is actively seeking single and multi-unit owners to bring luxury pet boarding and daycare to their community. To learn more about the K9 Resorts franchise opportunity, visit www.k9franchise.com. To learn more about K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotels, visit www.k9resorts.com.     

About K9 Resorts

K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel (www.k9resorts.com) strives to offer the best pet care experience for all the dogs in its care and has been honored with five IBPSA Pet Care Business Excellence Awards, the highest level of recognition within the pet industry. Founded in 2005, by Steven & Jason Parker, each K9 Resort is custom-designed with hospital-grade ventilation systems, antimicrobial flooring, cage-free luxury boarding and world-class, professionally trained staff members. Steven Parker was also the recipient of the 2024 Founders Award from the Professional Animal Care Certification Council (PACCC), a prestigious recognition for making significant contributions to the industry. Recommended by numerous pet professionals and several major publications, K9 Resorts is proud to lead the way in the pet hospitality industry.

About Entrepreneur Of The Year                                                                                                               
Founded in 1986, Entrepreneur Of The Year has celebrated more than 11,000 ambitious visionaries who are leading successful, dynamic businesses in the US, and it has since expanded to nearly 60 countries globally.

The US program consists of 17 regional programs whose panels of independent judges select the regional award winners every June. Those winners compete for national recognition at the Strategic Growth Forum^® in November where National finalists and award winners are announced. The overall National winner represents the US at the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year^™ competition. Visit ey.com/us/eoy.

About EY
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Enabled by data, AI and advanced technology, EY teams help clients shape the future with confidence and develop answers for the most pressing issues of today and tomorrow.

EY teams work across a full spectrum of services in assurance, consulting, tax, strategy and transactions. Fueled by sector insights, a globally connected, multi-disciplinary network and diverse ecosystem partners, EY teams can provide services in more than 150 countries and territories.

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SOURCE K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel