Ernst & Young's Northwest Entrepreneurs of the Year

How valuable would it be to know in advance which business leaders were about to rocket to fame? Who knew 20 years ago, for instance, that Michael Dell would soon become synonymous with quality computer hardware?

The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year (EOY) award program, which picked Dell as a national winner back in 1989, provides an annual glimpse into what the future may hold for today’s hard-working and innovative business owners. For the last 23 years, the EOY award has spotlighted growing entrepreneurial businesses before they become internationally recognized names.

The following seven Pacific Northwest region award recipients and 15 finalists represent the brightest innovators and leaders across a wide spectrum of business sectors. Categories for this year’s winners include financial services; health and life sciences; media and entertainment; retail and consumer products; services; software; and technology.

To be eligible for the awards, nominees must be owners or managers of private or public companies that are at least two years old. The nominees must also be primarily responsible for the recent performance of their companies and active members of top management. Ernst & Young’s independent panel of judges selects finalists and award recipients, based on a number of factors, including entrepreneurial spirit, financial performance, strategic direction, community/global impact, innovation and personal integrity/influence.

The EOY program’s regional component recognizes business leaders in more than 135 cities in 50 countries worldwide. Regional award recipients will be eligible for consideration for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2009 national awards, which will be announced this November.

Some of the names in these pages are longtime legends of the Northwest’s business community. Others are unsung heroes who are just breaking onto the scene with innovative ideas and a healthy appetite for taking risks. Together, they represent the present and future leaders of the Northwest region’s recovery from the current economic downturn.


Financial Services & Real Estate
Winner: Jeffrey S. Lyon, CCIM, SIOR, Chairman and CEO, GVA Kidder Mathews (Seattle)

Jeff Lyon has real estate in his blood. During his undergraduate years, he began his career selling residential properties via his second-generation family business, Lyon Commercial. In 1991, Lyon was instrumental in facilitating the merger of his firm with Kidder, Mathews & Senger and worked as an agent, broker

Share this Article

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•