Ludington, Michigan, October 9, 2020 – FloraCraft® CEO Eric Erwin has been selected Entrepreneur of the Year for the Michigan and Northwest Ohio region by Ernst & Young LLP, or EY.

Erwin was one of 10 winners announced by the organization at its virtual awards gala Oct. 8. The event featured 29 finalists selected by a panel of independent judges from a competitive pool of nominations. In its 34th year, EY’s Entrepreneur Of The Year Award® program honors entrepreneurial business leaders whose ambitions deliver innovation, growth and prosperity as they build and sustain successful businesses that transform the world.

Erwin now becomes eligible for the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards show, hosted by comedian Seth Meyers, on Thursday, Nov. 19. The Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner then will move on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in June 2021.

“I am very humbled and honored to receive this award, which I accept on behalf of our entire FloraCraft team,” Erwin said. “I am fortunate to be surrounded by a great group of people who help me grow and inspire me.

“This year has brought us many challenges – and our team showed great perseverance through it all, which makes this award even more special. It is an absolute pleasure to come to work every day and be a part of such a talented team.” 

Entrepreneur Of The Year is one of the preeminent competitive award programs for entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies. The nominees are evaluated based on six criteria: overcoming adversity, financial performance, societal impact and a commitment to building a values-based company, innovation and talent management. Since its launch, the program has expanded to recognize business leaders in more than 145 cities in more than 60 countries around the world.

Erwin has led FloraCraft since 2017, driving initiatives to retain and develop employees through new company programs and improvement of the company’s business model while emphasizing a significant focus on sustainability and giving back to the Ludington community.

He most recently led FloraCraft in launching its innovative new product, FōM® with PolyRenew®, the first foam product on the market made with post-consumer plastic. The breakthrough product saves hard-to-recycle plastics from the landfill, enabling the company to offer a “greener” product to crafters and florists.

Company owner Lee Schoenherr’s longtime dream of FloraCraft being in control of its own destiny has been realized under Erwin’s tenure. FloraCraft took on its most ambitious project ever to become fully vertically integrated by bringing polystyrene extrusion in-house rather than purchasing product from a supplier. The move created jobs, improved efficiencies, enhanced quality and reduced the company’s carbon footprint.

About FloraCraft

FloraCraft is the world’s leading manufacturer of foam products for the craft and floral industries. From its headquarters in Ludington, Michigan, FloraCraft and its 200+ employees provide innovative American-made products to Walmart, Amazon, Michaels, JOANN, Hobby Lobby and other leading retailers. Founded after World War II, FloraCraft is a family owned business success story built by owner and chairman Lee Schoenherr, who is dedicated to protecting American jobs. For more information, visit www.floracraft.com. 

About Entrepreneur Of The Year®

Entrepreneur Of The Year® is the world’s most prestigious business awards program for unstoppable entrepreneurs. These visionary leaders deliver innovation, growth and prosperity that transform our world. The program engages entrepreneurs with insights and experiences that foster growth. It connects them with their peers to strengthen entrepreneurship around the world. Entrepreneur Of The Year is the first and only truly global awards program of its kind. It celebrates entrepreneurs through regional and national awards programs in more than 145 cities in over 60 countries. Winners go on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ title. ey.com/us/eoy  

About EY Private

 As Advisors to the ambitious™, EY Private professionals possess the experience and passion to support private businesses and their owners in unlocking the full potential of their ambitions. EY Private teams offer distinct insights born from the long EY history of working with business owners and entrepreneurs. These teams support the full spectrum of private enterprises including private capital managers and investors and the portfolio businesses they fund, business owners, family businesses, family offices and entrepreneurs. Visit ey.com/private.

About EY

EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, strategy, transaction and consulting services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

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. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.