Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) recently announced the winners of the prestigious Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2024 National Awards, with Ben Rosenthal and Ashli Rosenthal Blumenfeld, Co-Presidents and Co-CEOs of Standard Meat Company (SMC), being honored. This recognition comes after their selection as Southwest regional award winners in June. The national winners were chosen from a pool of 214 regional honorees across 185 companies in the United States. The Entrepreneur Of The Year award has been celebrating transformative leaders for nearly 40 years, highlighting entrepreneurs who revolutionize industries and lead companies shaping the future.
Ben and Ashli Rosenthal Blumenfeld, siblings and key figures behind Fort Worth-based Standard Meat Company, were selected for their exceptional contributions to growth and innovation in the meat processing and packaging industry. SMC, a multi-generational, family-owned business, has been at the forefront of meat portioning and packaging for the food service and retail sectors. The company was founded in 1935, and under the leadership of Ben and Ashli, it has become a global player in its industry.
“It’s a great honor to receive this esteemed award, especially when surrounded by so many remarkable leaders who are changing industries worldwide,” Ben Rosenthal said. “Ashli and I feel truly humbled to be counted among them and deeply grateful for the dedication of our exceptional team, who have been critical to our success.”
Standard Meat’s headquarters in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards symbolizes the company’s roots, while its influence extends far beyond Texas. In addition to its Fort Worth location, SMC operates plants in Dallas, Fort Worth, Saginaw, and Ponder, Texas, and serves clients across the United States and globally. Under the leadership of Ben and Ashli, the company has not only maintained its commitment to quality but has also spearheaded innovative solutions that have allowed it to expand and serve new markets.
SMC has always sought growth through innovation and staying ahead of culinary trends. In 1969, the company was a pioneer in adopting Cryovac packaging, which enabled it to provide products to national chain restaurants. More recently, the company developed a cutting-edge packaging system to create ice packs for the rapidly growing meal kit industry, where Standard Meat is now the largest protein supplier.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see the impact our company continues to have on people’s lives. We owe a large part of our success to our amazing team, who work tirelessly to drive our mission forward,” said Ashli Rosenthal Blumenfeld. “We view them as part of our extended family, and this achievement is as much theirs as it is ours.”
Ben echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that while they are proud of their family legacy, their focus remains on securing the future for the next generation. “We’re building a foundation that will last for another 100 years,” he said. “For us, every relationship with our customers and suppliers is a partnership, and we’re always ready to take calculated risks to move our business forward. We believe that standing still is the real risk, and that’s the kind of legacy we want to leave.”
The winners of the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2024 National Award were selected by a panel of independent judges made up of prominent entrepreneurs and respected business leaders. The selection criteria focused on each leader’s ability to demonstrate entrepreneurial spirit, long-term value creation, business growth, and social impact, among other factors.
In addition to Ben and Ashli Rosenthal Blumenfeld, other national award winners include:
- Christopher Barnett, CEO of ABA Centers, Fort Lauderdale, FL (National Overall Award winner)
- Michael Intrator, CEO of Coreweave, Roseland, NJ
- Christine Chang and Sarah Lee, Co-Founders and Co-CEOs of Glow Recipe, New York, NY
- Eric Reimer, CEO and Co-Chairman of the Board of Healthmap Solutions, Tampa, FL
- John Poindexter, CEO and Chairman of J.B. Poindexter & Co, Inc., Houston, TX
- Cassandra Thurswell, CEO of Kitsch, Los Angeles, CA
- Marco Assis, CEO of Propio Language Services, Overland Park, KS
- Terrence McLean, CEO and Co-Founder of SageSure, Jersey City, NJ
- Dhruv Saxena, CEO of ShipBob, Chicago, IL
“These leaders have demonstrated remarkable resilience and innovation, driving transformation and growth despite facing numerous challenges in the market,” said Andrew (AJ) Jordan, EY Americas Entrepreneur Of The Year Director. “They are the epitome of ambition, purpose, and entrepreneurial drive, and it will be exciting to see how they continue to lead and inspire future change.”
The Entrepreneur Of The Year program has honored visionary entrepreneurs since 1986. It celebrates founders who have grown their businesses from the ground up, visionary CEOs who have transformed industries, and family business leaders who have modernized traditional models for long-term success.
The national winners were announced during the Strategic Growth Forum®, the country’s most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies. All regional and national winners are now lifetime members of an exclusive community that connects them with fellow alumni and business leaders from across nearly 80 countries, with continuous access to EY resources.
In addition to the Entrepreneur Of The Year awards, EY US also supports entrepreneurs through initiatives such as the EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women™ program and the EY Entrepreneurs Access Network, which help connect women founders and Black and Hispanic/Latino entrepreneurs with essential resources and networks to unlock their full potential.
