Six Utahns among regional Ernst & Young award winners
Founders from fintech, food and logistics named 2026 Mountain West finalists
Six Utahns are regional winners in Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year 2026 awards program.
A dozen people overall earned the Mountain West Awards for an area including Utah, Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming.
In its fifth decade, the program honors founders, entrepreneurs and CEOs driving innovation, growth and long-term value. A panel of past winners and business leaders judged candidates on entrepreneurial spirit, purpose-driven leadership, and measurable growth and impact.
Utah recipients are:
• Brian Beutler, Alianza, Pleasant Grove.
• Allyse Jackson, Beehive Meals, Layton.
• Ryan Anderson, Filevine, Salt Lake City.
• Kyle Freebairn, Frazil, Salt Lake City.
• Brett Hopkins, Ken Garff Automotive Group, Salt Lake City.
• Jeff Reynolds, Sensapure Flavors, Salt Lake City.
"Six Utah leaders taking home regional honors is a strong showing for a state that's become synonymous with Silicon Slopes' momentum — spanning fintech, logistics, food, legal tech and consumer brands," Ernst & Young said in announcing the winners.
The six Utahns join other regional winners advancing to the national Entrepreneur of the Year competition, with award winners announced at the Strategic Growth Forum in November. The national overall winner goes on to represent the U.S. at the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year Award event in May 2027.
"These winners are founders reshaping their industries and redefining what it means to lead as entrepreneurs," said Jim Wilson, EY partner and Entrepreneur of the Year Mountain West program co-director, noting their vision is building companies that create jobs and strengthen communities across the region.
