Centre CEO Chris Pace Named Finalist to EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2015 Award

EY announces Finalists for the

EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2015 in the Gulf Coast Area

HOUSTON, MAY 5, 2015 – EY today announced the finalists for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2015 in the Gulf Coast Area. The awards program recognizes entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. These business leaders were selected by a panel of independent judges. Award winners will be announced at a special gala on June 25, 2015 at the Hilton America’s Houston.

The finalists are:

Bill P. Simms, President, Accent Wire, Tomball, Texas

Vinita Gupta, Chairperson and Co-CEO, Apex Resources, Inc., Katy, Texas

Kyle McDonald, CEO, Argent Financial Group, Ruston, Louisiana

Jay H. Campbell Jr., President and CEO, Associated Grocers, Inc., Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Ed Tinsley, CEO, Bernhard Energy/TME/Bernhard LLC, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Michael Burrow, Chairman and CEO, Burrow Global, LLC, Beaumont, Texas

Chris Pace, CEO, Centre Technologies, Houston, Texas

Michael E. Cokinos, President and CEO, Cokinos Energy Corporation, Houston, Texas

George B. Leftwich, President and CEO, Contract Land Staff, Sugar Land, Texas

Larry N. Browne, President and CEO, Diligent Delivery Systems, Houston, Texas

Louis Flory, CEO, Effex Management Solutions, Kingwood, Texas

Rich Wolfe, CEO Empyrean Benefit Solutions, Houston, Texas

John B. Walker, CEO EnerVest, Ltd., Houston, Texas

Brad Childers, President and CEO, Exterran, Houston, Texas

John W. Chisholm, Chairman, President and CEO, Flotek Industries, Inc., Houston, Texas

Mike Donovan, President, Heat Transfer Solutions, Houston, Texas

Donnie Young, Chairman and CEO, Hoover Group, Inc., Houston, Texas

Brian L. Fielkow, President, Jetco Delivery, Houston, Texas

Sean E. Reilly, CEO, Lamar Advertising Company, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Katy Caldwell, CEO, Legacy Community Health Services, Inc., Houston, Texas

Bruce V. Gingrich, CEO and Owner, Lifechek Drug, Richmond, Texas

Ken Beaver, CEO McCoy-Rockford, Inc., Houston, Texas

Setul G. Patel, CEO, Neighbors Health System, Inc. Pearland, Texas

Paul Butero, CEO, Nine Energy Service, Houston, Texas

Joseph Freudenberger, CEO, OakBend Medical Center, Richmond, Texas

Kevin McEvoy, CEO, Oceaneering International, Inc., Houston, Texas

George Pilko, Chairman, Pilko & Associates, Houston, Texas

Andres Reiner, CEO and Director, Pros, Inc., Houston, Texas

Troy Collins, CEO, Quality Companies, Youngsville, Louisiana

Dilip Bhargava, CEO, SDB Trade International, LP, Pasadena Texas

Dennis N. Stine, CEO, Stine Lumber Company, Sulphur, Louisiana

Marc S. Jones, Owner, Sunpro Solar, Lacombe, Louisiana

Jose Lozano, CEO, The Company of Others, Houston, Texas

Richard “Gordy” Bunch, President and CEO, The Woodlands Financial Group, The Woodlands, Texas

Mike Appling Jr., CEO, TNT Crane & Rigging, Inc., Houston, Texas

Gerard Gibert, CEO, Venture Technologies, Ridgeland, Mississippi

Ben P. Cowart, Chairman and CEO, Vertex Energy, Inc., Houston, Texas

Will Perry, President and CEO, Worldwide Power Products, Houston, Texas

Taseer A. Badar, President, ZT Wealth & Altus Health Group of Companies, Houston, Texas

Now in its 29th year, the program has expanded to recognize business leaders in over 145 cities in 60 countries throughout the world.

Regional award winners are eligible for consideration for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year national program.  Award winners in several national categories, as well as the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Overall National Award winner, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, California on November 14, 2015. 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 2016. Additionally, venture-backed companies that win an Entrepreneur Of The Year Award regionally are also eligible for the Venture Capital Award of Excellence at the national level. The awards are the culminating event of the EY Strategic Growth Forum®, the nation’s most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies.

Sponsors

Founded and produced by EY, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are sponsored nationally by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and SAP America.  In the Gulf Coast Area sponsors also include Lockton Companies, LLC, BBVA Compass, Colliers International, DLA Piper, SolomonEdwards, ADP, Pierpont Communications, Smart Business Network.

About Centre Technologies

Centre Technologies is a privately-owned, leading IT company that provides IT solutions for businesses of all sizes in Texas and Louisiana. Since 2006, Centre Technologies has combined technology with business insight to create a customized set of services as unique as the organizations they were created for. Their approach to enhancing businesses with IT operates under the principle that, “Technology is the Centre of every business.”

About EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™

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

EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

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This news release has been issued by Ernst & Young LLP, an EY member firm serving clients in the US.