Business & Community
Nominations Open for EntreCon® Awards Honoring Local Business Leaders
Know a business, employer, or entrepreneur making a real difference? The clock is ticking to nominate them for one of nine EntreCon® Awards categories.
Community members are invited to nominate outstanding businesses, employers, and entrepreneurs for the 2026 EntreCon® Awards, which celebrate innovation, leadership, and economic growth throughout the region.
Nominations are open now through August 17, 2026, and can be submitted at studeri.org/jobs/entrecon/#awards.
These awards celebrate the people and organizations driving innovation, leadership, and economic growth in our community.
The nine award categories are:
- Emerging Business of the Year – companies launched within the past two years with early success, strong leadership, and a mission rooted in clear core values
- Large Business of the Year – companies with more than 50 employees that have adapted to change, driven economic growth, and invested in employee skill-building
- Small Business of the Year – companies with 50 or fewer employees known for inclusion, community involvement, and innovative practices
- Entrepreneur of the Year – a creative business leader solving a marketplace problem while improving quality of life through employment or service
- Non-profit of the Year – an organization advancing its mission through volunteering, partnerships, or fundraising
- Employer of the Year – a workplace with strong training programs, work-life balance, career growth, and equal opportunity initiatives
- Rodney Jackson Minority-Owned Business of the Year
- Veteran-Owned Business of the Year
- Female-Owned Business of the Year
The Rodney Jackson, Veteran-Owned, and Female-Owned business categories each recognize small businesses that combine outstanding achievement with social responsibility, creativity, and community leadership.
Honoring a Legacy of Service
A tenth honor, the John Myslak Award for Servant Leader, closes out the lineup. It’s given to a leader who enriches the lives of others and helps build a more just and caring world — the same spirit its namesake brought to the community before his passing.
Key facts:
- Nomination deadline: August 17, 2026
- Nine categories, from emerging startups to nonprofits to servant leadership
- Submit online at studeri.org/jobs/entrecon/#awards
Organizers say the awards are designed to spotlight the people and organizations shaping the local economy and quality of life. Anyone in the community can submit a nomination ahead of the August 17 deadline.