Bevy of area businessmen are EY award finalists

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.