CEA Announces Finalists for Inaugural Innovation Entrepreneur Awards

Honorees include three executives and four businesses that exemplify the exceptional role small business plays in the consumer electronics industry

ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)^® is excited to announce the finalists for the first annual Innovation Entrepreneur Awards, sponsored by its new flagship publication, It Is Innovation (i³), (launching at the 2013 International CES^®) and CEA’s Small Business Council. The Innovation Entrepreneur Awards honor excellence in entrepreneurship and recognize visionaries leading businesses with revenues under $30 million.

“The Innovation Entrepreneur Awards allows CEA to recognize publicly entrepreneurs in the consumer electronics industry that demonstrate a true sense of innovation, dedication to the industry and the tenacity to persevere through business and economic challenges,” said Gary Shapiro, CEA’s president and CEO. “This year’s finalists reflect the depth, breadth and innovative spirit of the consumer electronics market.

“From a specialty retailer to a successful wholesale distributor; a company that created automated recycling kiosks and one whose technology connects caregivers with loved ones; groundbreaking work that brought AM and FM radio into the 21^st century and another that brought Internet radio into the car; to an innovator in the audio industry -- this is truly a standout group for the inaugural year of our award.”

From these seven finalists, one executive and two small businesses will be announced as this year’s winners at the 2012 CEA Industry Forum, October, 14 -17 in San Francisco. The 2012 finalists for the Innovation Entrepreneur Awards include:

Small Business Executive of the Year:

• Sandy Gross – GoldenEar Technology, Owings Mill, MD
• David Lorsch – DC-Genius, Scottsdale, AZ
• Jake Sigal – Livio, Ferndale, MI

Small Business of the Year:

• Audio Video Interiors – Middleburg Heights, OH
• EcoATM – San Diego, CA
• GrandCare – West Bend, WI
• iBiquity – Columbia, MD

Click here to view a brief video introducing each of the Innovation Entrepreneur Award finalists. Every Monday and Wednesday until Industry Forum, CEA’s Facebook page will unveil a new video highlighting each finalist and the entrepreneurial spirit that helps them to stand out.

About CEA:

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the $206 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry. More than 2,000 companies enjoy the benefits of CEA membership, including legislative advocacy, market research, technical training and education, industry promotion, standards development and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CEA also owns and produces the International CES – The Global Stage for Innovation. All profits from CES are reinvested into CEA’s industry services. Find CEA online at www.CE.org, www.DeclareInnovation.com and through social media: https://www.facebook.com/#!/CEAfeed, http://twitter.com/ceafeed, http://blog.ce.org/.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• CEA Industry Forum
  October 14-17, 2012, San Francisco, CA
• CEA Research Summit at Industry Forum
  October 17, 2012, San Francisco, CA

• CEO Summit and Board Retreat
  October 17-19, 2012, Sonoma, CA
• CES New York Press Preview featuring CES Unveiled NEW YORK
  November 12, 2012, New York, NY

• CES Unveiled LONDON
  November 15, 2012, London, UK

• 2013 International CES
  January 8-11, 2013, Las Vegas, NV