Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) announced that Brian Smith, president and CEO of Wagner Logistics was named an Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2024 Heartland Award finalist. Now in its 38th year, Entrepreneur Of The Year is the preeminent competitive business award for audacious leaders who disrupt markets, revolutionize sectors and have a transformational impact on lives.
NORTH KANSAS CITY, Mo., May 13, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) announced that Brian Smith, president and CEO of Wagner Logistics was named an Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2024 Heartland Award finalist. The Heartland program celebrates entrepreneurs from the Dakotas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and Kansas. Now in its 38th year, Entrepreneur Of The Year is the preeminent competitive business award for audacious leaders who disrupt markets, revolutionize sectors and have a transformational impact on lives. Over the past four decades, the program has recognized the daring entrepreneurs with big ideas and bold actions that reshape our world.
Smith was one of 28 regional entrepreneurs 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.
"I am deeply honored to be recognized as a finalist for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2024 Heartland Award, and I share this recognition with the incredible team at Wagner Logistics. Their relentless pursuit of excellence and innovative spirit has sparked transformative growth. From our warehouse floor to the boardroom, every team member plays a vital role in fostering unparalleled efficiency and value for our customers," says Smith. "By focusing on contract warehousing and adapting to industry changes, we've created a foundation that empowers us to provide world-class supply chain solutions while maintaining our commitment to sustainability, diversity and community impact. I am grateful to EY and to all those who have supported our journey."
Entrepreneur Of The Year honors many different types of business leaders for their ingenuity, courage and entrepreneurial spirit. The program celebrates original founders who bootstrapped their business from inception or who raised outside capital to grow their company; transformational CEOs who infused innovation into an existing organization to catapult its trajectory; and multigenerational family business leaders who reimagined a legacy business model to fortify it for the future.
Regional award winners will be announced on June 20th during a special celebration and will become lifetime members of an esteemed community of Entrepreneur Of The Year alumni from around the world. 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.
In addition to Entrepreneur Of The Year, EY US supports other entrepreneurs through the EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women™ program and the EY Entrepreneurs Access Network to help connect women founders and Black and Hispanic/Latino entrepreneurs, respectively, with the resources, network and access needed to unlock their full potential.
Sponsors
Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards include presenting sponsors PNC Bank, Cresa, Marsh USA, SAP and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. In the Heartland, sponsors also include regional Platinum sponsor, Twin Cities Business; regional Gold sponsor, Padilla; and regional Silver sponsors, Brillect and Robert Half.
About Entrepreneur Of The Year®
Founded in 1986, Entrepreneur Of The Year® has celebrated more than 11,000 ambitious visionaries who are leading successful, dynamic businesses in the US, and it has since expanded to nearly 80 countries and territories globally.
The US program consists of 17 regional programs whose panels of independent judges select the regional award winners every June. Those winners compete for national recognition at the Strategic Growth Forum® in November where National finalists and award winners are announced. The overall National winner represents the US at the World Entrepreneur Of The Year® competition. Visit ey.com/us/eoy.
About EY
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Enabled by data and technology, diverse EY teams in over 150 countries provide trust through assurance and help clients grow, transform and operate.
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About Wagner Logistics
Wagner Logistics is a leading supply chain management provider, offering comprehensive distribution center, fulfillment, and transportation services across the U.S. since 1946. The Wagner team provides precise solutions to fit each customer's needs at the required speed. Wagner is innovating warehousing and logistics by tackling complex supply chain challenges and providing exceptional performance while the industry continually adapts to customer buying habits. Wagner is experienced in servicing manufacturers across a wide range of product types including energy (batteries), food and beverage, automotive, consumer products (CPG), paper products, ammunition and hazardous materials. The company has been honored as a Top 100 3PL by Inbound Logistics 21 years in a row. For more information, visit wagnerlogistics.com.
Media Contact
Joe Oliaro, Wagner Logistics, 1 816.293.3503, [email protected], https://wagnerlogistics.com/
SOURCE Wagner Logistics
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