EY Announces John Merris of Solo Stove as an Entrepreneur of The Year® 2020 Southwest Award Winner

October 8, 2020

Dallas, TX, October 8, 2020 – Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) today announced that John Merris, CEO of Solo Stove, was named an Entrepreneur Of The Year^® 2020 Southwest 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. Merris 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 October 7^th, 2020.

“It’s an honor to receive such a prestigious award and to be celebrated alongside such notable business leaders,” said Merris. “Amidst such an unusual year, Solo Stove has continued to grow – and it’s a testament to the unstoppable spirit of our entire team. On behalf of Solo Stove, we thank Ernst & Young for the recognition.”

Solo Stove designs simple, ingenious outdoor products to help families and friends create good moments that become lasting memories. Its product line includes stainless steel fire pits, camp stoves, and charcoal grills that are sleek, smokeless and straightforward, making it easy for anyone to gather around a fire.

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. Merris 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.

The Entrepreneur Of The Year program has honored the inspirational leadership of entrepreneurs such as:

• Joe DeSimone of Carbon, Inc.
• Howard Schultz of Starbucks Corporation
• Pierre Omidyar of eBay, Inc.
• Jodi Berg of Vitamix
• Reid Hoffman and Jeff Weiner of LinkedIn
• Hamdi Ulukaya of Chobani
• Kendra Scott of Kendra Scott LLC
• Andreas Bechtolsheim and Jayshree Ullal of Arista Networks
• James Park of Fitbit
• Daymond John of Fubu

As a Southwest award winner, Merris 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.

Sponsors

Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are nationally sponsored by SAP America and the Kauffman Foundation.

Southwest sponsors also include Colliers International, Haynes and Boone, Donnelly Financial, PNC Bank, Marquee Events, RHSB, Smith, Frank & Partners, and D CEO Magazine.

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. ey.com/us/eoy

About EY Private

As Advisors to the ambitious™, EY Private professionals possess the experience and passion to support private businesses and their owners in unlocking the full potential of their ambitions. EY Private teams offer distinct insights born from the long EY history of working with business owners and entrepreneurs. These teams support the full spectrum of private enterprises including private capital managers and investors and the portfolio businesses they fund, business owners, family businesses, family offices and entrepreneurs. Visit ey.com/private

About EY

EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, strategy, transaction and consulting services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

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About Solo Stove:

Solo Stove designs simple, ingenious outdoor products to help you create good moments that become lasting memories. For more information on Solo Stove, visit solostove.com.