GILBERT, Ariz. (Oct. 8, 2020) –Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) today announced that Co-founder and CEO Troy Swope was named an Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2020 Mountain Desert Region Award winner. The Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards program is one of the preeminent competitive awards for entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies. The award recognizes those entrepreneurial leaders who are excelling in overcoming adversity; financial performance; societal impact and commitment to building a values-based company; innovation; and talent management. Troy was selected by an independent panel of judges. The award was announced through the program’s first-ever virtual awards gala, hosted by Deborah Norville, anchor of Inside Edition, on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020.
“It is truly an honor to be recognized as an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist among some of the top business leaders in the world,” said Troy Swope, Co-founder and CEO of Footprint. “At Footprint, our mission is to create a healthy planet. Our plant-based sustainable products mimic the end of life properties that are required to create a healthier planet. This is possible because of our incredible global customers who are dedicated to sustainability alongside Footprint’s amazing employees and ambassadors across the world.”
Since 1986, EY US has honored entrepreneurs whose ingenuity, spirit of innovation and tenacity have driven their companies’ success, transformed their industries and made a positive impact on their communities. Troy will go on to become a lifetime member of the esteemed multi-industry community of award winners, with exclusive, ongoing access to the experience, insight and wisdom of fellow alumni and other ecosystem members in over 60 countries — all supported by vast EY resources.
As a Mountain Desert Region award winner, Troy is now eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2020 National Awards. Award winners in several national categories, as well as the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner, will be announced Thursday, November 19, during a virtual awards gala. The awards are the culminating event of this year’s virtual Strategic Growth Forum®, the nation’s most prestigious gathering 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 2021.
About Footprint
Footprint exists to create a healthier planet by eliminating single-use and short-term use plastics. Footprint designs, develops and manufactures technologies that are biodegradable, compostable, and recyclable. We love our oceans and our planet, which is why we are revolutionizing industries to eliminate plastic pollution by making it easy for companies to switch to plant-based solutions. The company was co-founded by former Intel engineers Troy Swope and Yoke Chung and employs more than 1,000 people. In 2019, Footprint was announced a winner of the prestigious NextGen Cup Challenge for its Plant-based alternative manufacturing process for drinking cups and lids. It has already helped eliminate over 61 million pounds of plastic. The company is based in Gilbert, Ariz. For more information and a complete portfolio of Footprint solutions visit www.footprintus.com.
About Entrepreneur Of The Year®
Entrepreneur Of The Year® is the world’s most prestigious business awards program for unstoppable entrepreneurs. These visionary leaders deliver innovation, growth and prosperity that transform our world. The program engages entrepreneurs with insights and experiences that foster growth. It connects them with their peers to strengthen entrepreneurship around the world. Entrepreneur Of The Year is the first and only truly global awards program of its kind. It celebrates entrepreneurs through regional and national awards programs in more than 145 cities in over 60 countries. Winners go on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ title.