Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) announced 42 finalists for the prestigious Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 Pacific Southwest Award, nine of which are located in Scottsdale.
Now in its 40th year, the Entrepreneur of the Year program celebrates the bold leaders who disrupt markets through the world’s most ground-breaking companies, revolutionizing industries and making a profound impact on communities.
An independent panel of judges selected these entrepreneurs from 42 companies for their entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth and lasting impact in building long-term value.
“I’m truly inspired by this year’s finalists, who are not just entrepreneurs but visionaries making a significant difference in their industries and communities,” says Rachael Marini, Partner and Pacific Southwest – San Diego program director. “ I am incredibly proud to be part of the Pacific Southwest business community, and it’s an honor to celebrate the achievements of these innovators and the positive impact they are creating.”
Regional award winners will be announced June 6. The winners will then be considered by the national independent panel of judges for the Entrepreneur of the Year National Awards, which will be presented in November at the annual Strategic Growth Forum, one of the nation’s most prestigious gatherings of high-growth, market-leading companies.
Entrepreneur of the Year honors many different types of business leaders for their ingenuity, courage and entrepreneurial spirit. The program celebrates original founders who bootstrapped their business from inception or who raised outside capital to grow their company, transformational CEOs who infused innovation into an existing organization to catapult its trajectory and multigenerational family business leaders who reimagined a legacy business model to strengthen it for the future.
The descriptions below of the finalists are extracted from a press release.
The 2025 Pacific Southwest finalists based in Scottsdale are:
Christine Aguilera – Angel MedFlight
Aguilera is the CEO and president of Angel MedFlight (AWC-MH Holdings, LLC). Angel MedFlight partners with health care facilities to safely fly patients for life-changing care anywhere in the world. The team of critical care clinicians specializes in transporting patients aboard medically equipped jets with ICU capabilities, ensuring safety for both high-acuity adult and pediatric patients. As part of MedHealth Partners, the nation’s largest independent fixed-wing air ambulance network, we are committed to excellence in medical transport. From managing all air and ground logistics to handling insurance authorizations, Angel MedFlight streamlines the process to save valuable time. Its clinical and aviation programs are accredited for high-quality care, safety and operational excellence. Since 2007, Angel MedFlight has successfully helped thousands of patients, earning the trust of health care professionals and solidifying its position as an air ambulance leader.
Jake Brander – Brander Group Inc.
Jake is the president of Brander Group Inc., a distinguished consultancy firm known for its expertise in network infrastructure, IT and cloud solutions. With a strong focus on professional consulting services and brokerage, Brander Group excels in designing, implementing and optimizing network architectures tailored to meet the unique needs of businesses across various industries. Leveraging extensive experience and a deep understanding of technological advancements, the company delivers comprehensive solutions aimed at enhancing network performance, reliability and security. From conducting thorough assessments with provider-neutral engineers to devising strategic roadmaps, Brander Group empowers clients to reduce operating costs, avoid growth issues and maximize long-term network investments. With a track record of successful implementations and a commitment to staying ahead of emerging trends, Brander Group remains a trusted partner for organizations seeking to harness the full potential of their network infrastructure.
David Jemmett – CISO Global Inc
Jemmett is the CEO of CISO Global, Inc., an international leader in managed cybersecurity compliance solutions. CISO Global’s teams of subject-matter experts work together across disciplines to understand its clients’ environments holistically and support them on the journey to cyber resilience. With a comprehensive suite of cybersecurity, proprietary software, compliance and security-engineered network solutions, CISO Global works across disciplines to help clients reach their goals. CISO Global partners with clients wherever they may be on their cybersecurity journey, helping them to resolve any current roadblocks and adequately anticipate future issues to achieve cyber resilience and create a culture of cybersecurity across the organization. CISO Global specialists help identify gaps and opportunities in organizations’ current security strategies, explaining root causes along the way. CISO Global’s specialties and credentials span nearly every vertical in the cybersecurity industry, serving organizations and government agencies of all sizes.
Michael Malone – Lumifi
Malone is the CEO and founder of Lumifi, a leading managed detection and response (MDR) provider specializing in advanced threat detection, rapid incident response and proactive cybersecurity. The company has grown through strategic acquisitions, strengthening its capabilities and expanding into key industries. Lumifi provides cyber protection software with a service to businesses ranging from 25 employees to 100,000 employees. Lumifi solutions allow 24/7 protection 365 days a year against ransomware, IP theft and access to personal information.
Dave Johnson – Mist America
Johnson is the CEO of Mist America, the largest installer of outdoor misting systems in the U.S. Its markets include large multilocation national chains, world-class resorts, restaurant chains, outdoor entertainment venues, horse barns, golf courses, amusement parks and residential homes. Mist America’s design team has over 100 years of misting industry experience and provides each client with a detailed proposal and layout of recommendations. Mist America offers both sale and internally financed seasonal rental options to its commercial clientele. Once accepted, Mist America internally manufactures, assembles and sources a complete list of materials for field technicians to install to design specifications. Once installed, Mist America offers each customer a full range of service, maintenance and repair and warranty options. This all-inclusive package often leads to repeat business from clients, helping fuel growth. Mist America’s Arizona-based business is headquartered in Scottsdale and has a field office in Las Vegas with expansions in California, Texas and Florida with infill in every state in the southern U.S.
Craig Cote – Mountainside Fitness
Founded in 1991, Mountainside Fitness (MSF) is the number one rated player in the Scottsdale-Phoenix MSA with 21 clubs offering a $39 entry price point. MSA provides a broad range of fitness consumers — both individuals and families alike — with a premium-value offering for all of their fitness, health and wellness needs. MSF offers its members extensive services through a commitment to its core pillars of all-day group fitness, best-in-class childcare, cleanliness, friendliness and free towel service, delivering an offering on par with the leading premium players at a fraction of the cost. MSF has grown to become a beloved brand with industry-leading consumer ratings and is led by a seasoned management team with deep industry experience in both fitness and real estate development. With its solidified positioning in existing markets and consistently strong performance, MSF is poised for continued growth in existing and expansion markets beyond the Scottsdale-Phoenix MSA.
Ben Garland – On Site Medical
Garland is the CEO of On Site Medical. On Site Medical is about much more than on-site, on-demand care; On Site Medical is innovating so that we can achieve a common goal of reducing the impact of workplace injuries so employees stay healthier — and so does your bottom line. On Site Medical witnessed the pitfalls of occupational medicine firsthand: skyrocketing costs, lost time and even fraud, often brought on by excessive care. On Site Medical set out to create a new model —one that prioritizes the health of employees and the bottom line of their employers. We do this by: Listening to understand, understanding and adapting to the need, simplifying the solution, hustling and delivering and executing confidently.
Sheryl Palmer – Taylor Morrison
Palmer is the CEO of Taylor Morrison, one of the nation’s leading homebuilders and developers. Taylor Morrison serves a wide array of consumers from coast to coast, including first-time, move-up, luxury and resort lifestyle homebuyers and renters under our family of brands — including Taylor Morrison, Esplanade and Yardly. From 2016 to 2025, Taylor Morrison has been recognized as America’s Most Trusted Builder by Lifestory Research. Taylor Morrison’s long-standing commitment to sustainable operations is highlighted in its annual Sustainability and Belonging Report.
Morgan Haynes – Tribal Health
Haynes is the CEO of Tribal Health. Led by board-certified physicians and Native American clinicians, Tribal Health connects underserved Tribal and Indian Health Service (IHS) facilities to culturally sensitive medical expertise and high-quality private health care models. Native Americans and Indigenous communities are living through an ongoing health care crisis — one that juxtaposes high rates of chronic disease and suicide with generational poverty and chronic underfunding. Tribal Health’s goal is to drive transformation at the patient, community and generational levels through consulting services, on-site clinical training, expert care and metric-managed quality improvements.
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