UNRL Founder Michael E. Jordan Named EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2025 for the Heartland Region

Celebrating the bold leaders shaping the future through the world’s most ground-breaking companies

SAINT PAUL, MN, UNITED STATES, July 1, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) announced on Thursday, June 19th that Founder and CEO Michael E. Jordan of UNRL was named an Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 Heartland Award winner. Entrepreneur Of The Year is the preeminent competitive awards program for entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies. For 40 years, EY US has celebrated ambitious entrepreneurs who are transforming industries, impacting communities and creating long-term value.

Michael was chosen by an independent panel of past winners, top CEOs and business leaders. Judges assessed candidates on long-term value creation, entrepreneurial spirit, purpose-driven commitment and significant growth and impact.

“I’m incredibly honored and deeply grateful to be named Entrepreneur of the Year for the Heartland Region. I started this company a little over a decade ago with just a few hundred dollars and a vision. The odds were stacked against us as we set out to compete in an industry full of giants—but we forged our own path and found a way to win.

We've built an incredible team that shows up every day with heart, hustle and purpose. This recognition is a testament to their hard work and dedication. I also want to acknowledge my wife, Mia—she’s been the true warrior of our family throughout this journey.

We wouldn’t be here without these great people. I’m excited for what’s ahead as we keep pushing boundaries and redefining what’s possible.”– Michael E. Jordan

As a Heartland award winner, Michael is now eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 National Awards. The National Award winners, including the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner, will be announced in November at the Strategic Growth Forum^®, one of the nation’s most prestigious gatherings of high-growth, market-leading companies. The Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner will then move on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Award in June 2026.

Entrepreneur Of The Year recognizes 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 Entrepreneur Of The Year program has recognized the leadership of entrepreneurs such as:

• Richard Schulze of Best Buy Co.
• Maxine Clark of Build-A-Bear Workshop
• Andy Taylor of Enterprise Rent-A-Car
• Ronald Shaich of Panera Bread Company
• Sally J. Smith of Buffalo Wild Wings
• Shelly Ibach of Sleep Number
• Jude Bricker of Sun Country Airlines
• Cheri Beranek of Clearfield
• Michael Happe of Winnebago Industries
• Marco Assis of Propio Language Services.


Sponsors
Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards include presenting sponsors PNC Bank, Cresa, LLC, Marsh McLennan Agency, and SAP. In Heartland, sponsors also include regional Platinum sponsor, Twin Cities Business, regional Gold sponsor, Padilla, and regional Silver sponsor, Brillect.

About Entrepreneur Of The Year
Founded in 1986, Entrepreneur Of The Year has celebrated more than 11,000 ambitious visionaries who are leading successful, dynamic businesses in the US, and it has since expanded to nearly 60 countries globally.

The US program consists of 17 regional programs whose panels of independent judges select the regional award winners every June. Those winners compete for national recognition at the Strategic Growth Forum^® in November where National finalists and award winners are announced. The overall National winner represents the US at the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ competition. Visit ey.com/us/eoy.

About EY
EY is building a better working world by creating new value for clients, people, society and the planet, while building trust in capital markets.

Enabled by data, AI and advanced technology, EY teams help clients shape the future with confidence and develop answers for the most pressing issues of today and tomorrow.

EY teams work across a full spectrum of services in assurance, consulting, tax, strategy and transactions. Fueled by sector insights, a globally connected, multi-disciplinary network and diverse ecosystem partners, EY teams can provide services in more than 150 countries and territories.

All in to shape the future with confidence.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via ey.com/privacy. EY member firms do not practice law where prohibited by local laws. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

Kelsey Brumm
UNRL
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