Groupon Founder Among ‘Midwest Entrepreneurs of the Year'

Groupon's Andrew Mason unsurprisingly is among 26 Midwest finalists named in professional-services firm Ernst & Young's newly released list of Entrepreneur of the Year contenders.

The Midwest division extends to Illinois and Indiana, though most of those selected are right here in Chicago. The finalists were selected by an independent judging panel consisting of CEOs, private capital investors, regional business leaders and previous winners of the award.

Winners will be picked June 22 at the Sheraton Chicago, but in the meantime, this serves as a good, focused list of people with breakout ideas who managed to execute them expertly -- something any entrepreneur should strive for. Here's the full list: 

  • Jack W. Blumenstein and Michael J. Small: Aircell -- Itasca, Illinois

  • Scott Graf: BCD Meetings & Incentives -- Chicago, Illinois
  • Guy H. Morgan: BlueStar Energy Services, Inc.-- Chicago, Illinois
  • Michele Honomichl: Celergo -- Deerfield, Illinois
  • Shawn Riegsecker: Centro -- Chicago, Illinois
  • Stuart Bernsen: Chiro One Wellness Centers -- Oak Brook, Illinois
  • Jeff Silver: Coyote Logistics, LLC -- Lake Forest, Illinois
  • John Priest: Equable Ascent Financial, LLC -- Buffalo Grove, Illinois
  • Jai Shekhawat: Fieldglass, Inc. -- Chicago, Illinois
  • Joseph J. Slawek: FONA International --Geneva, Illinois
  • Andrew Mason: Groupon, Inc. -- Chicago, Illinois
  • Mike Evans and Matt Maloney: GrubHub, Inc. --Chicago, Illinois
  • Ted Gelov: Heartland Sweeteners, LLC -- Carmel, Indiana

  • Elliot S. Weissbluth: HighTower -- Chicago, Illinois
  • Andrew Sieja: kCura -- Chicago, Illinois
  • Gordon Hunter: Littelfuse, Inc. -- Chicago, Illinois
  • James Reynolds, Jr.: Loop Capital Markets -- Chicago, Illinois
  • Joe Reynolds: Red Frog Events -- Chicago, Illinois
  • Jeffrey M. Yordon: Sagent Pharmaceuticals, Inc. -- Schaumburg, Illinois
  • Mark A. Thierer: SXC Health Solutions -- Lisle, Illinois
  • Robert J. McCullen: Trustwave Holdings, Inc. -- Chicago, Illinois
  • Matthew Moog: Viewpoints Network, LLC -- Chicago, Illinois
  • Paul C. Darley: W.S. Darley & Co. -- Itasca, Illinois
  • Jaideep Bajaj: ZS Associates, Inc. -- Evanston, Illinois
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