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iSeatz Founder and CEO Kenneth Purcell Named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2009 Award Finalist in the Houston & Gulf Coast Area Program
New Orleans, LA, May 13, 2009 - iSeatz,
the global provider of customized online travel and entertainment solutions,
today announced that Founder and CEO Kenneth Purcell is a finalist for the Ernst
& Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2009 Award in the Houston & Gulf Coast
Area Program. The awards program recognizes entrepreneurs who demonstrate extraordinary
success in the areas of innovation, financial performance and personal commitment
to their businesses and communities.
Kenneth was selected as a finalist from a pool of nearly 550 nominations by
a panel of independent judges for his success in building a global, rapidly
growing company from the ground-up, while at the same time, contributing to
the resurging economy of New Orleans.
“To be aligned with the other remarkable leaders who were named as finalist
illustrates my personal dedication to consistent innovation and to making technological
and economic contributions to the state of Louisiana," said Kenneth Purcell,
Founder and CEO, iSeatz. "This recognition further validates iSeatz success
in offering a truly unique solution that gives organizations, from leading airlines
to financial services firms, the power to enhance the customer experience and
generate a new source of revenue.”
The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year awards program celebrates its 23rd
anniversary this year. The program has expanded to recognize business leaders
in over 135 cities in 50 countries throughout the world.
Houston & Gulf Coast Area award winners will be announced at a special gala
event on June 18, 2009 at the InterContinental Houston Hotel. Regional award
winners are eligible for consideration for the Ernst & Young LLP Entrepreneur
Of The Year national program. Award winners in several national categories,
as well as the overall national Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award
winner, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, California
on November 14, 2009. The awards are the culminating event of the Ernst & Young
Strategic Growth Forum, the nation's most prestigious gathering of high-growth,
market-leading companies.
Sponsors
Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year awards
are pleased to have the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and SAP America as
national sponsors.
In the Houston & Gulf Coast Area, sponsors include Bowne, Fulbright & Jaworski
L.L.P., Lockton Companies, LLC and Smart Business Magazine.
About iSeatz
iSeatz is a global provider of customized online travel and entertainment solutions
that offer immediate access to nearly 200,000 services and products. iSeatz
powers differentiated loyalty programs, ancillary revenue and brand devotion
by seamlessly integrating its flexible booking engine into its clients’ relevant
customer touch points. The proprietary supplier and transaction aggregation
application, iSeatz OneView, enables clients to consolidate the components of
multiple transactions into a single real-time record that can be easily managed
online. iSeatz is the choice of industry leaders including Delta Air Lines,
Northwest Airlines, Air Canada, MasterCard and Citi, and was ranked in the 2008
Inc. 500 list of the fastest growing private companies in the U.S. To learn
more about iSeatz visit www.iseatz.com.
About Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur Of The Year® Awards Program
Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award is the world’s most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The award makes a difference through the way it encourages entrepreneurial activity among those with potential and recognizes the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. As the first and only truly global award of its kind, the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® award celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 135 cities in 50 countries.