Ernst & Young Announces 2004 U.S. Entrepreneurs of the Year

More than 360 regional winners gathered for the annual 2005 Entrepreneur Of The Year® awards in Palm Springs November 20. This years winners include:

H. Wayne Huizenga, Huizenga Holdings, Inc. - The entrepreneur who started with a single garbage truck and now runs AutoNation, Blockbuster Video, Extended Stay America, Waste Management, and three professional sports franchises.

John B. Swisher, United Feeds, Inc. - I love how E&Y put it, so I'll just quote them: "John Swisher built a company on knowing more than the next guy about pigs." This guy demonstrates the power of finding your niche.

Joseph R. Ficalora, New York Community Bancorp, Inc. - Proving that bank consolidation doesn't have to mean loss of local identity, Ficalora has built the nation's top-performing thrift, while preserving the names and community services of acquired banks.

Mark C. Miller, Stericycle, Inc. - I find it a bit sad that waste disposal is such big business in the U.S., but so be it. I applaud entrepreneurs who can exploit the opportunity as Miller has done, creating North America's largest regulated waste management services provider.

Michael S. Gallegos, American Property Management Corp. - Gallegos has a great business model: buy underperforming hotels in performing markets and turn them around.

Richard W. Padula, Syclo LLC - Mobile computing is one business that seems to have survived the tech industry recession. Padula kept Syclo on track by focusing on measurable client ROI.

O. Gene Bicknell, NPC International, Inc. - Bicknell has gone from owning one Pizza Hut franchise to the largest operator of Pizza Hut restaurants in the world.

H. Gary Heavin, Curves International, Inc. - I was surprised to learn that the founder of the omnipresent women's fitness centers was a man, but he was motivated to start them when his mother died in her sleep at age 40, when he was just 13 years old. Now, Curves is the fastest-growing franchise business in history.

Dan Warmenhoven, Network Appliance - Started in 1992, this network storage solutions company is now on the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ 100. Since taking the company public, gross margins have improved by close to 60%.

Steve Mariotti, National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) - NFTE has created an incredible program for teaching entrepreneurship to underprivileged youth.

Jeno F. Paulucci - "The Frozen Food King" received Ernst & Young's first International Lifetime Achievement Award for Activism, Entrepreneurship, and Leadership.

You can read more about these inspiring entrepreneurs and hear their acceptance speeches at Ernst & Young's 2004 Entrepreneur Of The Year Winners page.