-- Central Florida
    -- Distribution and Manufacturing: Patrice Minguez, president and
     founder; Mark Allegre, vice president and founder; Cellynne
     Holdings, Haines City
    -- Financial Services: John Thedford, president, CEO and founder,
     Value Financial Services, Maitland
    -- Health Services: Brian Hutchinson, chairman and CEO, RTI
     Biologics, Inc., Alachua
    -- Master: Howard Lance, chairman, president and CEO, Harris
     Corp., Melbourne
    -- Services: Harold Mills, CEO, Zero Chaos, Orlando
    -- Technology: Jay Freeland, President, CEO and director, FARO
     Technologies, Inc., Lake Mary
    -- Technology: Steve Miller, president and CEO, Highwinds Capital,
     Inc., Winter Park
-- North Florida
    -- Financial Services: Robert Clements, chairman and CEO,
     EverBank, Jacksonville
    -- Retail and Consumer Products: William H. Morris, chairman,
     president and CEO, Hickory Foods, Inc., Jacksonville
    -- Technology: David L. Brown , chairman and CEO, Web.com,
     Jacksonville
-- South Florida
    -- Distribution and Manufacturing: Mark A. Ascik, president and
     CEO, StyleMark, Inc., Ormond Beach
    -- Distribution and Manufacturing: Amin Khoury, chairman, CEO and
     founder, B/E Aerospace, Inc., Wellington
    -- Emerging: Gisela Biganski, director of client relations; Sean
     Biganski, vice president technology; Christel McIntosh, director
     of finance; and Steve McIntosh, vice president operations,
     BeQuick Software, Palm Beach Gardens
    -- Emerging: Marc Siegel, president, China Direct, Inc., Deerfield
     Beach
    -- Health Services: Steve Geller, chairman and Edward Goldman,
     CEO, MDVIP, Boca Raton
    -- Real Estate and Construction: Beverly Raphael, president and
     CEO, RCC Associates, Deerfield Beach
    -- Services: Laurent Lamothe, president and CEO, The Global Voice
     Group S.A., Miami
-- West Central Florida
    -- Emerging: Derek Hennecke, president and CEO, Xcelience, Tampa
    -- Financial Services: David Serlo, president and CEO, PSCU
     Financial Services, Inc., St. Petersburg
    -- Health Services: Jason M. Patchen, CEO, American Healthcare
     Holdings, Inc., Tampa
    -- Master: Mario Longhi, president and CEO, Gerdau Ameristeel
     Corporation, Tampa
    -- Master: John Zumwalt, chairman and CEO, The PBSJ Corporation,
     Tampa
    -- Real Estate and Construction: Todd Gates, chairman, Gates,
     Naples
    -- Real Estate and Construction: Douglas Rothschild, principal and
     Louis Varsames, principal; CLW Real Estate Services Group, Tampa
    -- Retail and Consumer Products: Tony Little, president, CEO and
     founder, Health International Corporation, St. Petersburg
    -- Retail and Consumer Products: Mark Johnston, CEO; Mike
     Johnston, chairman; and Bob Johnston, president; The Melting Pot
     Restaurants, Inc., Tampa
    -- Services: Scott Riley, CEO, Fintech, Tampa
-- Lifetime Achievement Award: Thomas A. James, chairman and CEO,
 Raymond James Financial, Inc., St. Petersburg

The program recognizes entrepreneurs who demonstrate extraordinary success in the areas of innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities.

Finalists were selected by an independent judging panel comprised of regional business, academic and community leaders. Regional award recipients will be eligible for consideration in the 2008 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year national program, with national award recipients to be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, Calif., on Nov. 15, 2008. The awards are the culminating event of the Ernst & Young Strategic Growth Forum, an annual gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies.

This year, the Entrepreneur Of The Year award program celebrates its 22nd anniversary. The program has been expanded to recognize business leaders in more than 135 cities representing 50 countries around the world.

Sponsors

Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are nationally sponsored by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and SAP America.

Florida sponsors include Foley & Lardner LLP, Bowne and RFB Communications Group.

Contact Information

To make reservations for the Florida Entrepreneur Of The Year awards gala on June 5, contact Beverly Eha, program manager, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Florida Awards, at 813.225.4893 or beverly.eha@ey.com. Tickets are $200 per person. Information is also available at www.ey.com/us/eoy.

About the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards

The Entrepreneur Of The Year awards program was created and is produced by professional services firm Ernst & Young LLP. As the first award of its kind, the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Award recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who are building and leading dynamic and growing businesses. The program, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2006, honors entrepreneurs through regional, national and global award programs in over 135 cities and 50 countries.

About Ernst & Young

Ernst & Young, a global leader in professional services, is committed to enhancing the public's trust in professional services firms and in the quality of financial reporting. Its 130,000 people in 140 countries pursue the highest levels of integrity, quality, and professionalism in providing a range of sophisticated services centered on our core competencies of auditing, accounting, tax, and transactions. Further information about Ernst & Young and its approach to a variety of business issues can be found at www.ey.com/perspectives. Ernst & Young refers to the global organization of member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited does not provide services to clients. Ernst & Young LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership, is a U.S. client-serving member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited.