Simply Audiobooks CEO Named Ernst & Young Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year® 2005 for Ontario Region

Toronto, Canada (PRWEB) October 12, 2005

Sean Neville, CEO of Simply Audiobooks, was awarded the Ernst & Young Emerging Entrepreneur Of The Year 2005 award for the Ontario region at a gala ceremony recognizing Canadian entrepreneurs for their business leadership skills, determination and vision.

“The award is the Emerging Entrepreneur Of The Year but it should be the Emerging Entrepreneurial Team Of The Year because I would not be here today if not for a team of hard-working and dedicated people,” said Neville referring to his family, business partners and staff. “We have worked together to make this small idea into a growing business and success.”

An audio book fanatic, Neville conceived of Simply Audiobooks while sitting in traffic on Toronto’s busiest highway. Determined to find a convenient and affordable way to access audio books, he developed the idea of unlimited online audio book rentals.

Along with his two partners, Sanjay Singhal and Steve Sorge, Neville launched Simply Audiobooks in 2003. Together, they grew the company to become North America’s largest online audio book rental provider in less than two years. Recently adding sales to its offering, Simply Audiobooks employs more than 40 people in three facilities and two countries.

Neville is dedicated to creating ongoing partnerships between Simply Audiobooks and the communities it serves. Along with regular donations to schools and non-profit community organizations, the company has committed $50,000 in audio books to 10 Southern Ontario hospitals.

Before starting Simply Audiobooks, Neville explored a variety of high-profile positions, from trading at Goepel McDermid and UBS Warburg to VP of Sales and Marketing at Concept Plastics. He holds an MBA from the Johnson School at Cornell University, a BAS from York University, and he has completed graduate studies at IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain.

The Entrepreneur Of The Year program was founded by Ernst & Young to celebrate great entrepreneurs and heighten awareness of the economic impact of entrepreneurial ventures. The awards honour entrepreneurs who have demonstrated excellence and extraordinary success in areas such as innovation, risk taking, company development, financial performance, and personal commitment to their businesses and communities.

The program is nationally sponsored by Global Television Network, National Post, La Presse, RDI and Roynat Capital. The Ontario sponsor is Goodman and Carr LLP. To learn more about the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2005 awards, visit http://www.eoy.ca.

About Simply Audiobooks

Simply Audiobooks is North America's top audio book source, offering direct sales and unlimited rentals online. Launched in 2003, the company was the first to provide an unlimited rental model for audio books on CD, with free direct-to-door delivery and no due dates or late fees. Simply Audiobooks also sells audio books on tape and CD, with thousands of titles in multiple genres, including fiction, non-fiction, business, spiritual, classic and children's literature. The company has offices in Toronto, Buffalo and Las Vegas. For more information visit http://www.simplyaudiobooks.com.

About Ernst & Young

Ernst & Young, a global leader in professional services, is committed to restoring the public’s trust in professional services firms and in the quality of financial reporting. Its 106,000 people in 140 countries pursue the highest levels of integrity, quality, and professionalism in providing a range of sophisticated services centred on our core competencies of auditing, accounting, tax and transactions. Further information about Ernst & Young and its approach to a variety of business issues can be found at http://www.ey.com/perspectives. Ernst & Young refers to all the members of the global Ernst & Young organization.

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