EY announces Rick Perez of Avangard Innovative named Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2018 Award winner in the Gulf Coast Area

HOUSTON, June 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- EY yesterday announced that Rick Perez, Founder and CEO of Avangard Innovative, the leading technology company in the Recycling and Waste Management Industry, received the Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2018 Award in the Gulf Coast Area. The award recognizes entrepreneurs who are excelling in areas such as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities.  Rick Perez was selected by an independent panel of judges, and the award was presented at a special gala event on June 14, 2018 at the Marriott Marquis Houston.

"I am humbled and honored to receive this award. Not only is it a recognition to my entrepreneurial career, but a testament to the innovation and disruptive technologies we have developed at Avangard Innovative," said Perez. "Just as we did with Sustayn Analytics, our proprietary software platform, we will continue to create better ways for our customers to monitor, manage and monetize their sustainability programs. After all, our planet is worth it."

Since 1986, EY has honored entrepreneurs whose ingenuity, spirit of innovation and discipline have driven their companies' success, transformed their industries and made a positive impact on their communities. Now in its 32nd year, the program has honored the inspirational leadership of such entrepreneurs as:

• Howard Schultz of Starbucks Corporation
• Pierre Omidyar of eBay, Inc.
• Jodi Berg of Vitamix
• Robert Unanue of Goya Foods
• Reid Hoffman and Jeff Weiner of LinkedIn
• Andreas Bechtolsheim and Jayshree Ullal of Arista Networks
• Hamdi Ulukaya of Chobani
• James Park of Fitbit
• J.W. "Bill" Marriott, Jr. of Marriott International, Inc.
• Lonnie Moulder and Mary Lynne Hedley, PhD, of TESARO, Inc.

As a Gulf Coast Area award winner, Rick Perez is now eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2018 National Awards. 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 10, 2018. The awards are the culminating event of the 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 nationally sponsored in the US by SAP America, the Kauffman Foundation and Merrill Corporation.

In the Gulf Coast Area, regional sponsors include Colliers International, DLA Piper, ADP, Solomon Edwards, Chatham Financial, Pierpont Communications and Houston Business Journal.

Company Boilerplate

About Entrepreneur Of The Year®
Entrepreneur Of The Year®, founded by EY, is the world's most prestigious business awards program for entrepreneurs, chosen from an independent panel of judges including entrepreneurs and prominent leaders from business, finance, and the local community. The program 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 awards program 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. ey.com/eoy

About EY's Growth Markets Network
EY's worldwide Growth Markets Network is dedicated to serving the changing needs of high-growth companies. For more than 30 years, we've helped many of the world's most dynamic and ambitious companies grow into market leaders. Whether working with international mid-cap companies or early stage, venture-backed businesses, our professionals draw upon their extensive experience, insight and global resources to help your business succeed. For more information, please visit us at ey.com/sgm 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.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

This news release has been issued by Ernst & Young LLP, a member of the global EY organization that provides services to clients in the US.

For more information, please visit ey.com.

SOURCE Avangard Innovative