EY US celebrates ambitious entrepreneurs shaping the future of business

GUNTER, Texas, April 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Rick Kimbrell, Founder and CEO of StartKleen, has been named a finalist for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 Southwest Award by Ernst & Young LLP (EY US). Now in its 41st year, the Entrepreneur Of The Year program celebrates the bold leaders who disrupt markets through the world's most ground-breaking companies, revolutionizing industries and uplifting communities. The program honors entrepreneurs whose innovations drive economic growth and help shape the future of business.

An independent panel of judges selected Rick Kimbrell among 44 finalists based on their entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, company growth and lasting impact in building long-term value.

"StartKleen is a third-generation food safety business," said Rick Kimbrell. "Everything I've built comes from one principle my father Ray passed down: do what you say you're going to do. Being named a finalist among this group of Southwest entrepreneurs is humbling. I'm grateful for our clients, who trust us with their brands, and for our people, who take real pride in a profession most of the world never sees."

About StartKleen Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Gunter, Texas, StartKleen is a founder-led, third-generation food safety business providing turnkey contract sanitation, chemistry solutions and food safety training to USDA- and FDA-regulated food processing facilities across the U.S. The company serves 200+ plants in protein, produce, bakery, ready-to-eat, confectionary and soup/sauce/spice processing, with 1,500+ team members and a 97% client retention rate.

Under Rick Kimbrell's leadership, StartKleen has grown from a single-plant operation into one of the Southwest's most trusted contract sanitation partners, anchored by signature people programs like Dos Amigos mentorship and WINS leadership training. Learn more at www.startkleen.com

This award honors business leaders for their ingenuity, courage and entrepreneurial spirit. The program celebrates original founders who bootstrapped their business from inception or who raised outside capital to grow their company, transformational CEOs who infused innovation into an existing organization to catapult its trajectory, and multigenerational family business leaders who reimagined a legacy business model to strengthen it for the future.

This year's Southwest finalists represent North Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma across all industries, including professional services, consumer products, health, mobility and more.

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SOURCE StartKleen