Ernst & Young

The Metropolitan New York Area’s Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Award Winners Announced

June 29, 2007 — Ernst & Young LLP today announced the winners of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Yearฎ 2007 award in the Metropolitan New York Area. This year’s award winners were lauded at a special gala event at the New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square, on June 28, 2007, with nearly 600 people in attendance.

All award winners were selected by an independent panel of judges composed of area leaders from business, academic and civic organizations. The Metropolitan New York Area’s Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2007 award winners are:

• Business Services – Ms. Celeste Gudas, Chief Executive Officer, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, 24 Seven, Inc., New York, NY
• Business Services – Ms. Sheilah Hogan, Chief Executive Officer, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, 24 Seven, Inc., New York, NY
• Business Services – Mr. Stuart Kagel, Chief Executive Officer, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, 24 Seven, Inc., New York, NY
• Innovation – Dr. Ron Cohen, Chief Executive Officer, Acorda Therapeutics, Hawthorne, NY
• Financial Services – Mr. Sunil Hirani, Chief Executive Officer, Creditex Group Inc., New York, NY
• Emerging – Mr. David Spurlock, Founder & Chief Strategic Officer, Eos Airlines, Inc., Purchase, NY
• Turnaround – Mr. David Sorbaro, Manager, Mavis Discount Tire, Mt. Kisco, NY
• Turnaround – Mr. Stephen Sorbaro, Manager, Mavis Discount Tire, Mt. Kisco, NY
• Digital Media – Mr. Michael Walrath, Chief Executive Officer, Right Media, New York, NY
• Technology – Mr. Jonathan Harber, President, SchoolNet, Inc., New York, NY
• E-Services – Mr. Jason Finger, President, SeamlessWeb, New York, NY
• Social Enterprise – Mr. Brian Grissler, President & Chief Executive Officer, Stamford Health System, Stamford, CT
• Social Enterprise – Dr. Joel Levy, President & Chief Executive Officer, YAI / National Institute for People with Disabilities Network, New York, NY
• Social Enterprise – Dr. Philip Levy, President & Chief Executive Officer, YAI / National Institute for People with Disabilities Network, New York, NY
• Young Entrepreneur – Kamarin Lee, Founder & President, Squared Designs, New York, NY – Kamarin is 17 years old and was also recently honored as the New York Metro winner of the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) competition.

"For 21 years, Ernst & Young has recognized outstanding entrepreneurship through our Entrepreneur Of The Year program," said Joseph Capparelli, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year program director for the Metropolitan New York Area. "This year’s winners are truly an inspiration to all. We salute them for their drive, determination and hard work – and congratulate them on their success."

The Metropolitan New York Area award winners are eligible for consideration for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2007 national program. Award winners in several 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 November 17, 2007. The overall national Entrepreneur Of The Year award recipient is then considered for the worldwide event held in Monte Carlo.

The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year awards program celebrates its 21st anniversary this year and continues to recognize the leaders and visionaries who are creating and building world-class businesses. Awards are given to entrepreneurs who have demonstrated excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance, and personal commitment to their businesses and communities.

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