3 local businessmen named EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year
June 30, 2015 | Bobby Burch
Three Kansas City area businesspeople recently snagged one of the most prestigious awards for entrepreneurs.
EY announced Monday the winners of the Entrepreneur of the Year 2015 for the central Midwest, which included three businessmen from the Kansas City metro area. Those receiving the commendation included: Jody Brazil, CEO of FireMon; Matthew Perry, President of GENESYS Systems Integrator; and Bill Zahner, President and CEO of A Zahner Company.
“EY has honored outstanding entrepreneurs for the past 29 years,” Mike Hickenbotham, EY Entrepreneur of the Year Program Director for the Central Midwest, said in a release. “These winners are accomplished leaders who have contributed a tremendous amount to their communities, and we’re proud to recognize their successes.”
Since 1986, the EY Entrepreneur of the Year awards recognizes business leaders in more than 145 cities in 60 countries around the world. Regional award winners are eligible for consideration for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year national program, which will be announced Nov. 14.
Featured Business

2015 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
LISTEN: Fermenting a clean future through products from meat alternatives to skin creams and baby formula
On this episode of Startland News’ Plug and Play Topeka founder podcast series, we chat with Francesca Gallucci of Natáur, a Baltimore-based biotech company that’s reimagining how essential nutrients are made. Combining synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, and eco-friendly fermentation, they’re producing bio-based taurine (and other naturally occurring sulfur compounds) without relying on petroleum. Gallucci takes…
KCMO slashes fees for outdoor dining permits, launches dining trail for grant winning projects
Kansas City has officially eliminated outdoor dining permit fees, reducing the cost from $850 to zero, thanks to the momentum created by a city-led initiative to encourage investment in outdoor dining experiences, city leaders announced this week, unveiling new plans to promote funded businesses and their projects. Launched in 2024, the Outdoor Dining Enhancement Program…
World Cup will produce KC small biz millionaires in just weeks, leaders say, but it’s only the start
Kansas City can’t look at the World Cup in 2026 as one big event where businesses are going to make good money for a while, and then everything goes back to normal, said Wes Rogers. “This has to be the beginning of the next chapter of our city,” the 2nd District Councilman for Kansas City,…
Missouri Starters Coalition debuts effort to boost homegrown jobs, future founders
Entrepreneurs across Missouri gained a new champion this week as regional and national advocates launched a new coalition to support builders in the face of systemic, confidence-shaking roadblocks as they seek to drive job creation and higher lifetime incomes. The Missouri Starters Coalition on Thursday unveiled its founding members — Back2KC, Cortex, E-Factory, Keystone Innovation…
