Karen J. Martinez, President/CEO of BRAVO! Group Services, Named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2011 New Jersey Award Winner

Award Recognizes Entrepreneurial Excellence in Business Services

Iselin, New Jersey, June 24, 2011 – BRAVO! Group Services, one of the largest, privately-held facility service companies in the country, today announced that Karen J. Martinez, President and CEO, received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2011 New Jersey Award in the Business Services category. Ms. Martinez was selected from forty finalists going into last evening’s award ceremony. The award recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Ms. Martinez was selected by an independent panel of judges, and the award was presented at a gala event at the Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe on June 23, 2011. Ms. Martinez commented, “This award is a tribute to everyone in our company and our business partners that have supported me throughout the years. Also, to the future innovators and entrepreneurs in our country, that with determination, hard work and being loyal to your team, you can achieve anything!”.

The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards Program celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Past award winners have included Howard Schultz of Starbucks Coffee Company, Arthur M. Blank of AMB Group, LLC (Home Depot, Atlanta Falcons), Pierre Omidyar of eBay, Inc., Ruth Fertel of Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Inc., Maxine Clark of Build-a-Bear Workshop, Tom Adams of Rosetta Stone Inc., Matt Szulik of Red Hat, Inc., and last year’s national winner, Howard Lutnick, Chairman and CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald and BGC Capital Partners, Inc.

As a New Jersey award winner, Ms. Martinez is now eligible for consideration for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2011 National Award. Award winners in several national categories, as well as the overall Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year National Award winner, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, California, on November 12, 2011. 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, which will be held November 9-13, 2011.

Sponsors
Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are pleased to have the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation as a national sponsor.

In New Jersey, sponsors include Merrill Corporation, Empire Valuation Consultants, DLA Piper, Morgan Lewis & Bockius, WithumSmith +Brown, Gibbons, P.C., New Jersey Technology Council, New Jersey Business Journal.

About BRAVO! Group Services
BRAVO! Group Services is one of the largest, privately-held facility service companies in the country currently servicing in excess of 50,000,000 square feet of commercial, institutional, residential hi-rise and corporate facilities. BRAVO! provides green cleaning, mechanical maintenance, doorman, concierge, mail room operations and facility support activities. The Company is headquartered in Piscataway, New Jersey and operates regional offices in New York, Delaware, Virginia and North Carolina.

About Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year®
Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® is the world’s most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The unique 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, Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 140 cities in more than 50 countries.

About Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. Worldwide, our 141,000 people are united by our shared values and an unwavering commitment to quality. We make a difference by helping our people, our clients and our wider communities achieve their potential.

Ernst & Young refers to the global organization of member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young LLP is a client-serving member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited operating in the US. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

Scroll to Top