The Honorable Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles, teamed with Ernst & Young LLP partners Patrick Niemann, April Spencer, Brian Ring and Michael Kacsmar today to kick off the top business awards program in the country -- the 28th Annual EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards -- in its search for entrepreneurs in Greater Los Angeles. Past award recipients, future nominees, program sponsors, judges and other business leaders joined Mayor Garcetti and EY professionals for the 2014 kickoff in the Bradley Tower at City Hall.

"Los Angeles is a city of innovation, and the Entrepreneur Of The Year Program recognizes businesses that develop cutting edge products and services that improve our lives and create much needed jobs both here in our city and across our state and country," said Mayor Eric Garcetti.

The Entrepreneur Of The Year Program celebrates game-changing leaders around the world who found, strengthen or transform successful enterprises. The regional award recognizes entrepreneurs who stimulate the economy by creating high-growth businesses and jobs in Los Angeles. The 2013 Greater Los Angeles area finalists created over 10,000 jobs, increased their workforce by 20 percent and grew their revenues by 53 percent since 2010.

Each year, EY honors successful entrepreneurs in more than 150 cities in over 60 countries. In the United States, Ernst & Young LLP received more than 1,600 nominations for the 2013 program. Past Greater Los Angeles award recipients include: Janice Bryant Howroyd (The Act 1 Group), Tim Leiweke (AEG), George Rathmann (Amgen, Inc.), Don Chang (Forever 21), Mark Hughes (Herbalife International), Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Jr. (Magic Johnson Enterprises), Brandon Beck and Marc Merrill (Riot Games), and Robert Friedman (Summit Entertainment LLC).

The regional award recipients in Los Angeles will be announced at a black tie gala on June 17, 2014 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA. To qualify, entrepreneurs must be the founder or an executive who organizes, manages and assumes the risk of a business early in its life cycle or during its growth. Additional information is available on the Greater Los Angeles website: www.ey.com/us/eoy/greaterla. The deadline for 2014 nominations is March 14, 2014.

"EOY celebrates the country's most creative business leaders, and we're very proud that for almost 30 years the program has helped elevate the competing companies through exposure in and beyond their communities," said April Spencer, Entrepreneur Of The Year Program Director for Ernst & Young LLP in the Greater Los Angeles Area. "The opportunity to publicly recognize the contributions of the full team drives many nominees, and we're looking forward to that spirit of mutual recognition driving our biggest year yet in 2014."

Sponsors

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

In Greater Los Angeles, regional sponsors include: Platinum Sponsors - Marsh, Scherzer International, Smart Business, Union Bank; Silver Sponsors - Acacia Wealth Advisors, Avison Young, Ballard Spahr, The Big Picture, and Cresa.

About EY Entrepreneur Of The Year TM

EY Entrepreneur Of The Year is the world's most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The unique 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, Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 150 cities in more than 60 countries.

About EY's Strategic Growth Markets practice

EY's Strategic Growth Markets (SGM) practices guide leading high-growth companies. Our multidisciplinary teams of elite professionals provide perspective and advice to help our clients accelerate market leadership. SGM delivers assurance, tax, transactions and advisory services to thousands of companies spanning all industries. EY is the undisputed leader in taking companies public, advising key government agencies on the issues impacting high-growth companies and convening the experts who shape the business climate. For more information, please visit us at ey.com/us/strategicgrowthmarkets, or follow news on Twitter @EY_Growth.

About EY

EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

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This news release has been issued by Ernst & Young LLP, an EY member firm serving clients in the US.

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Ernst & Young LLP
Linda Whalen, +1-213-977-3919
Linda.Whalen@ey.com