EY Announces Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2023 Pacific Southwest Finalists

Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates ambitious entrepreneurs who are building bolder futures

SAN DIEGO, May 5, 2023 – Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) today announced the finalists for the Entrepreneur Of The Year^® 2023 Pacific Southwest program. The Pacific Southwest program celebrates entrepreneurs from California (San Diego & Orange County), Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Hawaii. Now in its 37th year, Entrepreneur Of The Year is the preeminent competitive business awards for transformative entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies who are building a more equitable, sustainable and prosperous world for all.These entrepreneurs were selected as finalists by an independent panel of judges. The candidates were evaluated based on their demonstration of building long-term value through entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth and impact, among other core contributions and attributes.

The 2023 Pacific Southwest finalists are:

Alexi Venneri | Digital Air Strike | Scottsdale, ArizonaChance Mims | Academy Securities | San Diego, CaliforniaQuyen Nguyen | Alume Biosciences | San Diego, CaliforniaJohn Shen | American Lending Center Holdings Inc. | Irvine, CaliforniaJimmy Whalen | Arbitech, LLC | Irvine, CaliforniaGary Moore, Ryan Moore, Jeff Moore and Scott Moore | ATI Restoration | Anaheim, CaliforniaJohn Beaver | Biolase, Inc. | Foothill Ranch, CaliforniaChris Loeffler | Caliber | Scottsdale, ArizonaDirk Wray | Camston Wrather | Carlsbad, CaliforniaShahab Elmi | Cymbiotika LLC | San Diego, CaliforniaMark Schouten | Diversified Roofing | Phoenix, ArizonaSean Lupton-Smith | Electric Bike Co. | Costa Mesa, CaliforniaTom Miller | Entos Inc | La Jolla, CaliforniaKathey Wagner | EPS Group, Inc. | Mesa, ArizonaDavid Moatazedi | Evolus | Newport Beach, CaliforniaMichelle Heeb | Forward Tilt | Scottsdale, ArizonaScott Shainman | Fusion Care Group | La Mesa, CaliforniaMaher Albitar | Genomic Testing Cooperative | Irvine, CaliforniaVicki Mayo | Global Market Innovators (GMI) | Phoenix, ArizonaDavid Wachs | Handwrytten | Tempe, ArizonaMaritza Diaz | ITJ USA, Inc | Rancho Santa Fe, CaliforniaDavid Glickman and Rizwan Kassim | Ka'ena Corporation | Costa Mesa, CaliforniaAhad Khan | Kajabi LLC | Irvine, CaliforniaJohn Ho | Landsea Homes | Newport Beach, CaliforniaKevin Lind | Longboard Pharmaceuticals | La Jolla, CaliforniaDonny Salazar | MasonHub |Rancho Cucamonga, CaliforniaRuss Garcia, Chris Giovanniello and Chris Keimel | Menlo Microsystems, Inc. | Irvine, CaliforniaJeff Spight | MIND 24-7 | Scottsdale, ArizonaSteve Zhou | Moov Technologies, Inc. | Tempe, ArizonaChris Karkenny | NVISION Eye Center | Aliso Viejo, CaliforniaKentaro Kawamori | Persefoni | Tempe, ArizonaChuck Casano | Pitaya Foods | San Diego, CaliforniaJack Kennedy | Platform Science | San Diego, CaliforniaMark McKenna | Prometheus Biosciences | La Jolla, CaliforniaDouglas Bryant | QuidelOrtho Corporation |San Diego, CaliforniaBrad Hillier | Re-Bath | Phoenix, ArizonaGreg Flesher | Reneo Pharmaceuticals | Irvine, CaliforniaStephanie Venn Watson and Eric Venn Watson | Seraphina Therapeutics | San Diego, CaliforniaLucas Haldeman | SmartRent | Scottsdale, ArizonaAnthony Margaraci | Trinity Packaging Supply | Newport Beach, CaliforniaCody Barbo | Trust & Will | San Diego, CaliforniaSimer Mayo | Valor Global | Phoenix, ArizonaVille Houttu | Vincit USA | Irvine, California“This year’s finalists are remarkable and inspiring entrepreneurs who have created positive impact across their industries and communities,” said Jon Smith, Entrepreneur Of The Year Pacific Southwest Program Director and Partner at EY. “They have been carefully selected by our independent panel of judges, and we are thrilled to recognize them for their notable contributions and commitment to their companies, customers and communities.”Regional award winners will be announced on June 16, 2023 during a special celebration. The winners will then be considered by the National judges for the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards, which will be presented in November at the annual Strategic Growth Forum^®, one of the nation’s most prestigious gatherings of high-growth, market-leading companies. The Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner will then move on to compete for the World Entrepreneur Of The Year^® Award in June 2024.The Entrepreneur Of The Year program has recognized more than 11,000 entrepreneurs throughout the US since its inception in 1986, and it has grown to recognize business leaders across 145 cities in over 60 countries around the world.