Two Peachtree Corners Business Leaders Named Finalists for EY Entrepreneur Award

Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates ambitious entrepreneurs who are shaping the future

Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) recently announced the finalists for the prestigious Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 Southeast Award, and two local, Peachtree Corners business leaders — David Quirk, president and CEO of DLB Associates Consulting Engineers PC and Erin Hanson, founder and CEO of Guardian Sports — made the list.

Hanson’s Guardian Sports is a family-owned company dedicated to serving athletes through safety and performance improvements in sports equipment. Major products include the Guardian Cap, PEARL ball and Guardian Infill serving the sports industry.

DLB Associates is a U.S.-based consulting engineering firm specializing in mission-critical and complex built environments. With more than 40 years of expertise, DLB delivers innovative, technology-driven solutions in engineering, commissioning and operations worldwide.

Celebrating entrepreneurial leaders

Now in its 40th year, Entrepreneur Of The Year recognizes the bold leaders who disrupt markets through the world’s most ground-breaking companies, revolutionizing industries and making a profound impact on communities. The program honors those entrepreneurs whose innovations shape the future and pave the way for a thriving economy and a hopeful tomorrow.

The Southeast program celebrates entrepreneurs from Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

An independent panel of judges selected 36 finalists for their entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth and lasting impact in building long-term value.

“This year’s finalists are leading examples of innovation, perseverance and resilience, illuminating paths to a brighter future for their industries and communities,” said Chevy Arnold, Entrepreneur Of The Year Southeast Program co-director.

“Their commitment to excellence transforms challenges into opportunities, inspiring us all,” added Kimberly Kicklighter, Entrepreneur Of The Year Southeast Program co-director.

Entrepreneur Of The Year honors many different types of business leaders for their ingenuity, courage and entrepreneurial spirit.

The program showcases 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.

Including Quirk and Hanson, the 2025 Southeast finalists are:

• Marc Hodulich | 29029 | Atlanta, Georgia
• Damon Stafford | Alpine Intel | Charlotte, North Carolina
• Lou Hensley | Aspida | Durham, North Carolina
• Matthew Dent | Buffalo Rock Company | Birmingham, Alabama
• Melanie Little | Colonial Pipeline Company | Alpharetta, Georgia
• Will Bartholomew | D1 Training | Franklin, Tennessee
• Rene Diaz | Diaz Foods | Atlanta, Georgia
• David Quirk | DLB Associates Consulting Engineers PC | Peachtree Corners, Georgia
• Markus Scott | EyeQ Monitoring | Atlanta, Georgia
• Jon Gosier | FilmHedge | Atlanta, Georgia
• John Fitzpatrick | Force Marketing | Atlanta, Georgia
• Dr. Barry Patel | Galt Companies | Atlanta, Georgia
• Dr. Wade Smith | Galt Companies | Atlanta, Georgia
• Charles Gillespie | Gambling.com Group | Charlotte, North Carolina
• Kevin McCrystle | Gambling.com Group | Charlotte, North Carolina
• Mike Griffin | Griffin Brothers Companies | Cornelius, North Carolina
• Erin Hanson | Guardian Sports | Peachtree Corners, Georgia
• Dan Beem | Hissho Sushi | Charlotte, North Carolina
• Aaron Siegel | Home Team BBQ | Charleston, South Carolina
• Marc Murphy | Ignite Digital Services | Charleston, South Carolina
• Miller Chalk | Inglett & Stubbs, LLC | Mableton, Georgia
• Liza Rodewald | Instant Teams | Southern Pines, North Carolina
• Stephen Andresen | McClancy Foods & Flavors | Fort Mill, South Carolina
• Travis LeFever | Mission Mobile Medical Group | Greensboro, North Carolina
• Cyrus Mojdehi | Northway Homes | Charlotte, North Carolina
• Connor Ryan | NutraSky | Alpharetta, Georgia
• Fritz Owens | OTR Solutions | Roswell, Georgia
• Christopher Chuang | Relay, Inc. | Raleigh, North Carolina
• Kurt Jacobus | restor3d, Inc. | Durham, North Carolina
• Tom Kendrot | Shearwater Health | Nashville, Tennessee
• Teak Shore | Southern Lighting Source | Cumberland, Georgia
• Cindy Eckert | Sprout Pharmaceuticals | Raleigh, North Carolina
• Bryan Moore | TalkShopLive Inc. | Nashville, Tennessee
• Tina Moore | TalkShopLive Inc. | Nashville, Tennessee
• Igor Marinelli | Tractian | Atlanta, Georgia
• Joan Butters | Xsolis | Franklin, Tennessee

You can learn more about the finalists at ey.com/en_us/entrepreneur-of-the-year-us/southeast/winners-finalists.

Regional award winners will be announced on June 25 during a special celebration. 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.

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 U.S., and it has since expanded to nearly 60 countries globally.

The U.S. 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 U.S. at the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ competition.

For more about the award, visit ey.com/us/eoy.