How Paramount Equity and Hayes Barnard are helping families save money and go solar
NCA Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Financial Services Finalist Hayes Barnard CEO and founder Paramount Equity Mortgage “What did we do to help families save money today?” is a question Hayes Barnard asks every day. It’s the foundation that he’s built his business upon and what drives his enthusiastic leadership as CEO and […]
How Brandon Cruz and Clint Jones wanted to make GoHealth an innovation in the health care industry
Private Equity/Venture Capital Backed WINNER When they first got into the health insurance business, neither Brandon Cruz nor Clint Jones had much knowledge about the industry, except that there had to be a better way to utilize the Internet to help both the health insurance companies and the individual consumer. This lack of familiarity allowed […]
How Al Goldstein found his niche with Pangea Properties by renting to underserved areas
Emerging Entrepreneur WINNER Al Goldstein, president of Pangea Properties, candidly admits that he believes real estate is an entrenched industry, with a “good ol’ boy” network. Nevertheless, Goldstein and longtime high school friend Steve Joung fought and clawed their way past that hurdle when launching their new venture, Pangea Properties. While they did not know […]
How Greg Ebel is keeping Spectra Energy at the top of its game in a highly competitive industry
Midstream Services FINALIST Gregory L. Ebel President and CEO Spectra Energy Corp. As the president and CEO of Spectra Energy Corp., one of North America’s premier pipeline and midstream companies, Greg Ebel challenges himself and his 5,000 employees to lead the industry in terms of safety and sustainability. Through his actions, Ebel has contributed significantly […]
How Rick Silva transformed Checkers Drive-In Restaurants to become a category-leader in sales growth
Hospitality FINALIST Rick Silva president and CEO Checkers Drive-In Restaurants Inc. Throughout his career, Rick Silva has earned a reputation for bringing energy, vision and endless dedication to his work. He has also become known as an approachable leader as president and CEO of Checkers Drive-In Restaurants Inc. No matter who he is talking to, […]
How Renaud Laplanche invested in Lending Club to create hassle-free loans
NCA Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Financial Services Award recipient Renaud Laplanche founder and CEO Lending Club Renaud Laplanche has twice built successful ventures despite nearly inconceivable obstacles. One night while working late, he became frustrated when he could not find the information online he was looking for. This was the […]
How Elena Whorton and Mike Sechrist care for people with ProTransport-1
NCA Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Services Finalist Mike Sechrist CEO Elena Whorton President ProTransport-1 Can you imagine not being able to get a sick family member or a loved one the right medical treatment or for that family member to wait for hours for transportation to arrive because their […]
How Stopher Bartol highlights everyday legacies on Legacy.com
Technology FINALIST Stopher Bartol asks himself every morning, “What legacy will I leave behind today?” After all, Legacy.com was his creation during the Internet boom of the late 1990s, and every day the legacies of ordinary, everyday people are commemorated on the website. Bartol, however, is happy that Legacy.com plays a behind-the-scenes role. Despite many […]
How Howard Stillman took a convoluted journey to reach Level 6 Corp.
Consumer Products and Services FINALIST Howard Stillman has had one of the most roundabout journeys to successful entrepreneurship you can imagine. The president and CEO of Level 6 Corp., dba Car Outlet, Stillman barely graduated from high school. Through a national exchange program, he was able to attend the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, […]
How Juggle is experiencing tremendous growth under Stephanie Leffler and Ryan Noble
STL Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist Stephanie Leffler CEO Juggle, LLC Ryan Noble President Juggle, LLC As the heads of Juggle, LLC, CEO Stephanie Leffler and President Ryan Noble bring extensive entrepreneur experience to the company as well as a strong top-down culture. From their initial small online shop […]