Five top agri-businesses in Ireland are finalists in the prestigious EY Entrepreneur of the Year awards for 2013 out of 24 leading entrepreneurs. These are Keelings, Freshgrass Group, Mash Direct, Samco Agricultural Manufacturing and Callan Bacon Company.
Caroline Keeling, Keelings
Liam Woulfe, Freshgrass Group
Martin Hamilton, Mash Direct
Samuel Shine, Samco
John Walshe, Callan Bacon
Going head-to-head with more than 150 of Ireland’s best entrepreneurs from across the island, the finalists were selected from three categories – emerging, industry and international. The entrepreneurs’ businesses represent a diverse range of sectors from financial services and technology to agriculture and manufacturing.
Announcing the shortlist earlier this year, EY’s Frank O’Keeffe, partner-in-charge of the awards, said: “The 24 selected finalists are significantly contributing to the creation of new jobs and opportunities in today’s challenging business environment, advancing innovation and creating value in Ireland and globally.” He continued: “We would like to wholeheartedly welcome this year’s finalists to our unique community of Ireland’s best entrepreneurs and look forward to supporting, celebrating and challenging them throughout this year’s programme.”
Poised to be the most ambitious awards to date, the finalists joined a group of 100 entrepreneurs, all previous finalists and winners of the awards, for a week-long CEO retreat, which took place between Chicago, Notre Dame University and New York this summer.
This week the finalists will now gather at the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards that will be broadcast to a worldwide audience via RTE Television and online. Their stories and achievements will be acclaimed before a glittering array of 1,300 guests. This event also sees the three individual category winners and the overall 2013 Entrepreneur Of The Year winner announced.