EY today announced that Don Rachel, CEO of Rachel Contracting, Inc., a civil construction company, received the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year(r) 2016 Award in the Construction and Agricultural Services category in the Upper Midwest. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Award program. The award recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance, and personal commitment to their businesses and communities.
Don Rachel was selected by an independent panel of judges, and the award was presented at a special gala event at the JW Marriott Minneapolis Mall of America on June 9.
“I’m honored to be selected as an Award Winner for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2016 Award; the entrepreneurial spirit was instilled in me at a young age by my Dad,” said Mr. Rachel. “I’m very fortunate to have the vision as an individual, but empowering our team to embrace a true entrepreneurial culture has made Rachel Contracting what it is today.”
An established leader in the civil construction industry, Rachel Contracting performs both public and private sector work throughout the Midwest. Rachel’s primary services are Earthwork, Demolition, Utilities and Specialty Contracting. In just the past few years, Rachel Contracting has successfully performed over $320 million dollars of construction services and over 350 individual projects.
Since 1986, EY has honored entrepreneurs whose ingenuity, spirit of innovation and discipline have propelled their companies’ success, invigorated their industries, and benefited their communities. Now in its 30th year, the program has honored the inspirational leadership of such entrepreneurs as Howard Schultz of Starbucks Coffee Company, Robert Unanue of Goya Foods, and Mindy Grossman of HSN. Recent US national winners include Reid Hoffman and Jeff Weiner of LinkedIn; Hamdi Ulukaya, founder of Chobani; and 2015 winners Andreas Bechtolsheim and Jayshree Ullal of Arista Networks.
As an Upper Midwest award winner, Don Rachel is now eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2016 national program. Award winners in several national categories, as well as the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner, will be announced at the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards gala in Palm Springs, California, on November 19, 2016. The awards are the culminating event of the Strategic Growth ForumTM, the nation’s most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies. The US Entrepreneur Of The Year Overall Award winner then moves on to compete for the World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in Monaco, June 2017.
Sponsors
Founded and produced by EY, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are sponsored nationally by SAP America, Merrill Corporation and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.
In the Upper Midwest, region sponsors include PadillaCRT, Faegre Baker Daniels, Twin Cities Business, Schulze School of Entrepreneurship, Salo, Lockton and Pohlad Companies.
About EY Entrepreneur Of The Year(r)
EY Entrepreneur Of The Year is the world’s most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The unique award makes a difference through the way it encourages entrepreneurial activity among those with potential and recognizes the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. As the first and only truly global award of its kind, Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 145 cities in more than 60 countries.
About EY’s Strategic Growth Markets practice
EY’s Strategic Growth Markets (SGM) practice guides leading high-growth companies. Our multidisciplinary teams of elite professionals provide perspective and advice to help our clients accelerate market leadership. SGM delivers assurance, tax, transactions and advisory services to thousands of companies spanning all industries. EY is the undisputed leader in taking companies public, advising key government agencies on the issues impacting high-growth companies and convening the experts who shape the business climate. For more information, please visit us at ey.com/us/strategicgrowthmarkets, or follow news on Twitter @EY_Growth.
About EY
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