29 April 2025 | Company News
Los Angeles, April 29, 2025 — Ernst & Young has once again named Jake Brander as a finalist for the Entrepreneur of the Year 2025 Pacific Southwest Award. This marks the third year Mr. Brander has earned a spot among the select group of visionary leaders recognized by this prestigious program.
Entrepreneur of the Year is one of the most competitive and respected Entrepreneur awards in the world. It honors entrepreneurs who disrupt industries, drive innovation, and make a lasting impact on the global business landscape. For nearly four decades, the program has celebrated bold ideas and transformative leadership that reshape our world.
Now, Jake Brander has once again been recognized. His repeat nomination highlights his continued excellence in leadership, innovation, and growth. In 2024, under his leadership, Brander Group generated over $150 million in sales revenue. The company also expanded its global footprint, reaching more than 3,000 clients across 70 countries.
This year’s finalists were selected by an independent panel of judges. The panel included entrepreneurs, CEOs, investors, and other leading business figures from across the United States. Each candidate was evaluated on entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth, impact, and other key measures of success.
Importantly, the Entrepreneur of the Year program honors a wide range of leaders. It celebrates original founders who built companies from scratch, transformational CEOs who revitalized existing organizations, and multigenerational family business leaders who reimagined legacy models for the future.
Looking ahead, regional award winners will be announced in June during a special celebration event. Winners will join the exclusive Entrepreneur of the Year alumni network for life. They will also advance for consideration in the Entrepreneur of the Year National Awards, held at the Strategic Growth Forum in November — one of the nation’s most prestigious gatherings of high-growth, market-leading companies.
About Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year
Since 1986, Entrepreneur of the Year has recognized more than 11,000 leaders of dynamic businesses in the United States, and the program now spans nearly 80 countries worldwide.
2025’s Entrepreneur of the Year is sponsored by SAP America, PNC Bank, Cresa, Marsh USA, and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. In the Pacific Southwest region, additional sponsors include platinum sponsors Marsh McLennan Agency and Vaco; gold sponsors Cooley (San Diego market) and Stradling (Orange County market); and silver sponsors Big Picture and DLA Piper.
The U.S. program operates through 17 regional programs, each selecting regional award winners every June. These winners move on to compete for national honors at the Strategic Growth Forum in November, culminating in the selection of a U.S. representative for the World Entrepreneur of the Year competition.
Learn more at Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year page.
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Link: EY Entrepreneur of the Year
Finalist Achievements
2025
2024
2022
2025
