Herb Fricke, PE, President/CEO of Akana, has been named a finalist for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 Mountain West 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 Mr. Fricke among 40 finalists based on their entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, company growth and lasting impact in building long-term value.

“We are thrilled to see Herb recognized as a finalist for the Mountain West Entrepreneur of the Year Award. His leadership, vision, and dedication to Akana and our staff inspire all of us every day. This achievement highlights not only Herb’s impact, but also the collective strength of the teams he empowers. We are proud to support him in this well-deserved honor and excited to celebrate this milestone together.” — Denise Sweeden, CAO

Founded in 1990, Akana is a Native American‑owned professional consulting firm providing construction, engineering, design, and management and advisory services. Akana delivers essential infrastructure and community‑focused projects for municipal, federal, and Tribal clients nationwide. Under the leadership of Herb Fricke, PE, Akana has maintained its headquarters in Portland, OR, while expanding with offices in Bellevue, WA; Fife, WA; Pasco, WA; and Las Vegas, NV. The firm has grown to 173 employees and reached $35 million in contracts in 2025.

Entrepreneur Of The Year 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 Mountain West finalists represent Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Washington across all industries, including technology, consumer products, manufacturing, health and more.

Regional award winners will be announced on Thursday, June 18, 2026 during a special celebration in Colorado Springs, Colorado and will become lifetime members of an esteemed community of Entrepreneur Of The Year alumni from around the world. The winners will then be considered by the national judges for the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards, which will be presented in November at the annual Strategic Growth Forum^®,  where high-growth CEOs, Fortune 1000 executives and investors converge to shape the future of business.

Sponsors

Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards include presenting sponsors PNC Bank, Cresa, LLC, Marsh USA, SAP, and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. In the Mountain West region, sponsors also include regional Gold sponsors, Big Picture, Perkins Coie, Strong & Hanni Law Firm and Truss and regional Silver sponsors, ADP, Pierpont Communications, and Silicon Slopes.

About Entrepreneur Of The Year^®

Founded in 1986, Entrepreneur Of The Year^® has celebrated more than 11,000 ambitious visionaries who are leading successful, dynamic businesses in the US, and it has since expanded to nearly 80 countries and territories globally.

The US program consists of 17 regional programs whose panels of independent judges select the regional award winners every June. Those winners compete for national recognition at the Strategic Growth Forum^® in November where national finalists and award winners are announced. The national overall winner represents the US at the World Entrepreneur Of The Year^® competition. Visit ey.com/us/eoy.

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