Bevy of area businessmen are EY award finalists
April 27, 2016 | Bobby Burch
Eight Kansas City-area businessmen are now finalists for a national entrepreneurship award.
Ranging from techies to whiskey-makers, the regional finalists of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year awards recognize those “who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses.” Sponsored in part by the Kansas City-based Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, EY operates its award programs in more than 145 cities across more than 60 countries.
A group of judges selected a total of 22 entrepreneurs in the Central Midwest region, which is comprised of Kansas and Missouri. Winners of the awards will be announced June 16 at Kansas City’s Midland Theatre.
Finalists from the Kansas City-area are:
- Andy Rieger, Kansas City-based J. Rieger & Co.
- Neal Sharma, Overland Park-based DEG
- Case Dorman, Overland Park-based Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue
- Kelly Mann, Lenexa-based Mediware Information Systems
- Chris Long, Mission Woods-based Palmer Square Capital Management
- Nathan Ferman, Grandview-based Perfection Floor Tile
- David Chinnery, Blue Springs-based Adams Dairy Bank
- Bob Bagby, Liberty-based B&B Theatres
Three Kansas City-area businessmen nabbed the award last year: Jody Brazil, Overland Park-based Firemon; Bill Zahner, Kansas City-based A Zahner Company; and Matthew Perry, Kansas City-based GENESYS Systems Integrator.
Featured Business

2016 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Mid-America Angels set for second consecutive record-breaking year
The Mid-America Angels is poised to make 2016 a record-breaking year. The area investment group already has deployed $1.7 million via seven deals in the first six months of 2016, setting pace for its biggest year of investment in its ten-year history. In 2015, the firm set a record for its amount of capital deployed,…
With a fresh $2M, Athlete Network sets ambitious growth goals
Athlete Network has scored a slam dunk with a $2 million seed round raise. The Lenexa-based firm that created a social network for athletes announced Thursday it had closed its first funding round after bootstrapping for two years, Athlete Network CEO Chris Smith said. The platform aims “to keep athletes competing in life” by enabling…
KC’s ‘entrepreneurial and innovative spirit’ lures Virgin Mobile HQ move
Kansas City’s entrepreneurial vigor again was cited as the impetus of a corporation’s expansion into the area. Virgin Mobile USA announced Friday that it selected downtown Kansas City for the company’s new headquarters as it relaunches its brand under Sprint. Virgin Mobile expects to hire 50 people in a variety of positions by the end…
Events Preview: KCVR Hackathon this weekend!
There are a boatload of entrepreneurial events hosted in Kansas City on a weekly basis. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, supporter or curious Kansas Citian, we’d recommend these upcoming events for you. WEEKLY EVENT PREVIEW KCVR Hackathon When: July 15 – July 17 Where: Google Fiber Join us for the KCVR Hackathon! The event is being sponsored…
