Intelligrated®, a North American-based automated material handling solutions provider, announces the recognition of Chris Cole, CEO, and Jim McCarthy, president and COO, as the 2016 Masters of Entrepreneurship award winners by Ernst & Young (EY) for the Ohio Valley region. EY announced the winners on June 9 at a black tie awards gala in Cincinnati, selected by an independent judging panel made up of previous winners of the award, leading CEOs, private capital investors and other regional business leaders. As regional winners, Cole and McCarthy are eligible for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year national program.
The EY Entrepreneur of the Year program celebrates those who lead growing and dynamic businesses, prioritize the success of employees and contribute to the well-being of their communities. Since founding Intelligrated in 2001, Cole and McCarthy have led the company through a period of tremendous growth, powered by innovation, partnerships with state and local governments, and a commitment to American manufacturing in the Ohio Valley region.
“Intelligrated’s focus is completely on our customers, from engineering innovative solutions to meet their challenges to providing complete lifecycle support for their mission-critical systems,” says Cole. “Prioritizing the needs of our customers and providing opportunities to employees for personal and professional development have fueled consistent growth and return for investors.”
Cole and McCarthy have dedicated significant research and development resources to support employee ideation through Intelligrated’s internal innovation program, encouraging all associates to submit ideas for evaluation and development. This has resulted in numerous patents and the advancement of associates’ careers and the material handling industry.
“We believe in a holistic approach to doing business defined by doing the right thing for all stakeholders, from customers and investors to management and employees,” says McCarthy. “Combining this approach with forward-thinking investments and strategic acquisitions built a foundation to support rapid, sustained growth.”
Intelligrated posted 2015 revenues of $760 million and employs more than 3,100 associates. It continues to develop its offering to provide innovative order fulfillment, labor management and advanced automation solutions backed by a commitment to deliver on promises and unmatched lifecycle support services.
The EY Entrepreneur of the Year national award winners will be announced at a gala in Palm Springs, California on Nov. 19. National winners then advance to the global program that draws from 145 cities in more than 60 countries and culminates with an event in Monaco in June 2017.
