Assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services company EY announced the winners of its Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in the Heartland. This group of leaders was selected by an independent judging panel made up of previous award winners, CEOs, investors, and other regional business leaders. The winners were unveiled at a special gala on June 27 at the Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis.

“There are many successful entrepreneurs in this world, but to build something truly remarkable, you can’t let anything stand in your way,” says Debra von Storch, EY Americas Entrepreneur Of The Year Program Director, in a release. “EY is proud to honor the 2019 winners who are inspiring innovation without limitation and fueling growth and prosperity by being truly unstoppable.”

Two of the winners are in the sleep space. They are:

  • Timothy Herbert, Inspire Medical Systems, Inc. (Golden Valley, Minnesota)
  • Shelly Ibach, Sleep Number (Minneapolis, Minnesota)

The other winners of the regional competition are:

  • Charles Kummeth, Bio-Techne (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
  • Benjamin Bercaw, Caroline Bercaw, Isabel Bercaw and Kimberly Bercaw, Da Bomb LLC (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
  • Carl Imo, Imo’s Franchising, Inc./ Roma Grocery (St. Louis, Missouri)
  • Alan Doan and Michael Mifsud, Missouri Star Quilt Co. (Hamilton, Missouri)
  • Jeremy Segal, Proozy (Eagan, Minnesota)
  • Matthew Bruckel, Total Access Urgent Care (Ballwin, Missouri)
  • Benjamin VandenWymelenberg and John Guenveur, WOODCHUCK USA (Minneapolis, Minnesota)

Since its founding in 1986, the program has expanded to recognize business leaders in more than 145 cities in more than 60 countries throughout the world.

Regional award winners are now eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards. Award winners in several national categories, as well as the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner, will be announced at the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards gala in Palm Springs, Calif, on November 16, 2019. The awards are the culminating event of the Strategic Growth Forum, a gathering of high-growth companies. The Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner then moves on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in Monaco in June 2020.

Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are nationally sponsored by SAP America and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

Local sponsors for the Heartland program include Padilla, PNC, Salo, Schulze School of Entrepreneurship, and Twin Cities Business.