Celebrating the bold leaders who disrupt markets, revolutionize industries and transform lives

DALLAS, June 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) today announced that John D. Steinmetz, President and CEO of Vista Bank was named an Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2024 Southwest Award winner. Entrepreneur Of The Year is the preeminent competitive awards program for entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies.

Vista Bank team members present for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Reception included (from left to right) Senior Vice President Director of Community Development & Outreach Lubbock Smith III, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer Cathy Landtroop, President & CEO (Award Recipient) John D. Steinmetz, Board Director Kirk McLaughlin, Chief Financial Officer Robert Bruce, Senior Vice President Director of Accounting Elizabeth Raplinger and Board Director Sam Romano.

Mr. Steinmetz was selected by an independent judging panel made up of previous award winners, leading CEOs and other business leaders. Candidates were evaluated based on their ability to create long-term value through entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to their purpose and the demonstration of growth and substantial impact, among other key indicators.

"When Abe Minkasa said, Vista Bank 'is on a mission to finance the 'American Dream' for all who dare to chase it,' he could not have said it any better," noted Vista Bank President and CEO John Steinmetz. "Our program is truly disrupting a traditionally deep-rooted industry by creating a quality pond through an ecosystem that teaches people to fish, helping those willing to put in the work find a path to 'yes.'

While it's an incredible honor to win this award, that has never been why our team set out on this journey. We do this to ensure that regardless of where someone is from, if they are willing to anticipate and sacrifice consistently, they too can accomplish the 'American Dream.' That is why I am genuinely thankful to have been given this platform to raise awareness and get banks nationwide involved in changing how our country invests in and elevates our low to moderate income communities through the power of small business.

I am incredibly grateful for my supportive family, our super-talented and loyal team, and the entrepreneurs who allow us to call Vista their Bank. I also want to congratulate my fellow winners, whose remarkable achievements inspire us all."

As a Southwest award winner, Mr. Steinmetz is now eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2024 National Awards. The National Award winners, including the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner, will be announced in November at the Strategic Growth Forum®, one of the nation's most prestigious gatherings of high-growth, market-leading companies. The Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner will then move on to compete for the World Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award in June 2025.  

Entrepreneur Of The Year recognizes many different types of 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 fortify it for the future.

The Entrepreneur Of The Year program has recognized the leadership of entrepreneurs such as:

  • Barbara Smith of Commercial Metals
    Company
  • Hamdi Ulukaya of Chobani, Inc.  
  • Holly Thaggard and Amanda Baldwin of
    Supergoop!
  • Das and Nipa Nobel of MTX Group 
  • James Park of Fitbit  

  • Jodi Berg of Vitamix
  • Kendra Scott of Kendra Scott LLC
  • Michael Happe of Winnebago Industries
  • Reid Hoffman and Jeff Weiner of LinkedIn
    Corporation
  • Tom Brennan of Sol-Ark

Entrepreneur Of The Year Award winners become lifetime members of a global, multi-industry community of entrepreneurs. They receive exclusive, ongoing access to the experience, insight and wisdom of program alumni and other ecosystem members in more than 60 countries — all supported by vast EY resources.

In addition to Entrepreneur Of The Year, EY US supports other entrepreneurs through the EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women™ (Winning Women) program and the EY Entrepreneurs Access Network (EAN) to help connect women founders and Black and Hispanic/Latino entrepreneurs, respectively, with the resources, network and access needed to unlock their full potential.

Sponsors
Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards include presenting sponsors PNC Bank, Cresa, Marsh USA, SAP and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. In the Southwest program, sponsors also include Platinum sponsors DFIN and Haynes and Boone LLP, Gold sponsors BGSF, Marsh and Roach Howard Smith & Barton and Silver sponsors Big Picture Inc., Pierpont Communications and The Slate.

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 overall National winner represents the US at the World Entrepreneur Of The Year® competition. Visit ey.com/us/eoy.

About EY
EY exists to build a better working world, helping to create long-term value for clients, people and society and build trust in the capital markets.

Enabled by data and technology, diverse EY teams in over 150 countries provide trust through assurance and help clients grow, transform and operate.

Working across assurance, consulting, law, strategy, tax and transactions, EY teams ask better questions to find new answers for the complex issues facing our world today.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via ey.com/privacy. EY member firms do not practice law where prohibited by local laws. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

PR Contact: Cathy Landtroop

Company: Vista Bank

Tel: 806.729.1979

Email: media@vistabank.com 

Best known as the Entrepreneurs' Bank, Vista Bank serves markets across North, Central, West Texas, and South Florida through its Banking Centers and emerging digital presence. With a Private Client offering, over 200 team members, almost $2 billion in assets, and a rich 111-year history of Entrepreneurs Banking Entrepreneurs, Vista offers innovative solutions to personal and commercial clients alike while never sacrificing its top priority – putting People First. (PRNewsfoto/Vista Bank)

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