Winners for Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2009 awards in San Diego announced - Ernst & Young - United States

Winners for Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2009 awards in San Diego announced

San Diego, 8 June 2009 – Ernst & Young LLP is pleased to announce the winners of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® award in San Diego. This group of leading entrepreneurs was selected by an independent judging panel made up of regional business, academic and community leaders. The winners were revealed at a gala event on 3 June 2009 at Hyatt Regency La Jolla.

“We congratulate these entrepreneurs on their significant achievements,” said Doug Obenshain, Ernst & Young LLP Entrepreneur Of The Year Program Director for San Diego. “The Entrepreneur Of The Year award salutes their efforts in business excellence and community improvement. We would all do well to emulate their determination and enthusiasm.”

The San Diego winners for the Ernst & Young LLP Entrepreneur Of The Year award in 2009 are:

• Lifetime Achievement: Ernest Rady, Founder, Chairman and CEO, American Assets
• Master: Les Cross, President and CEO, DJO Incorporated
• High Technology: Polina Braunstein, President and CEO, Quake Global
• Emerging: Jeff Goldberg and Tanner Haigwood, CEO and COO, Cali Bamboo LLC
• Turnaround: Jose Luis Laparte, President, PriceSmart, Inc.
• Health Sciences: Alexis Lukianov, Chairman and CEO, NuVasive, Inc.
• Consumer and Business Products and Services: Jeffrey McCain, CEO, McCain, Inc.
  

Regional award winners will be eligible for consideration for the Ernst & Young LLP Entrepreneur Of The Year 2009 national awards.  Winners in numerous national categories, as well as the overall national Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award winner, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, California, on 14 November, 2009. The awards are the culminating event of the Ernst & Young Strategic Growth Forum, the nation’s most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies.

This year, the Entrepreneur Of The Year awards program celebrates its 23rd anniversary. The program has expanded to recognize business leaders in over 135 cities in 50 countries throughout the world. Awards are given to entrepreneurs who demonstrate extraordinary success in the areas of innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities.

Sponsors
Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year awards are pleased to have the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and SAP America as national sponsors.

In San Diego, sponsors include Marsh, Cox Business, Foundation for Enterprise Development and The Daily Transcript.

Contact information
For more information and nomination forms contact:  Irene Veca, Program Manager, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® San Diego Awards, at +1 858 535 7356 or Irene.Veca@ey.com. Information is also available at www.ey.com/us/eoy/SanDiego.

About Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur Of The Year® Awards Program
Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award is the world’s most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The award makes a difference through the way it encourages entrepreneurial activity among those with potential and recognizes the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. As the first and only truly global award of its kind, the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® award celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 135 cities in 50 countries.

About Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. Worldwide, our 135,000 people are united by our shared values and an unwavering commitment to quality. We make a difference by helping our people, our clients and our wider communities achieve their potential.

For more information, please visit www.ey.com.

Ernst & Young refers to the global organization of member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients.

This news release has been issued by Ernst & Young LLP, a member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited.

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