Fort Worth-based entrepreneurs and sibling duo recognized among leaders across the nation for ingenuity and modernization of legacy models
Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) announced that Co-President and CEO Ben Rosenthal and Co-President Ashli Rosenthal Blumenfeld of Standard Meat Company have been named Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2024 National Award winners, following Rosenthal and Blumenfeld’s selection as Southwest regional award winners in June.
National Winners were chosen from a group of 214 Entrepreneur Of The Year regional winners, representing 185 companies across the U.S. For nearly 40 years, the Entrepreneur Of The Year award has recognized entrepreneurs who are revolutionizing industries, and leading businesses that will shape the future.
The siblings and leaders of Fort Worth-based, family-run Standard Meat Company (SMC) were honored among nine other finalists from around the nation for their dedication to investing in new ideas and creating tremendous growth through innovation-driven developments.
“It’s quite an honor not only to receive this prestigious award, but also to be selected from such an impressive group of leaders who are revolutionizing industries and transforming lives globally,” Rosenthal said. “Ashli and I are truly honored and humbled to be counted among them. We offer our congratulations to our fellow awardees and our heartfelt gratitude to our own amazing team.”
Headquartered in the iconic Stockyards in Fort Worth, SMC is a meat processing and packaging firm with plants in Dallas, Fort Worth, Saginaw, and Ponder, Texas — but the impact the company has made reaches beyond Texas, and even the U.S.
The multi-generational business has been owned and operated by the Rosenthal family since it was founded in 1935. Building upon the foundation established by past generations, Rosenthal and Blumenfeld have positioned SMC as an industry leader in quality and innovation — so much so that the company is now a global supplier of custom meat portioning and packaging solutions for the food service and retail industries.
SMC believes in seeking growth through innovation, forecasting culinary trends, and applying cutting-edge technology to customer needs. In 1969, SMC was an early adopter of Cryovac packaging, allowing the company to supply a new client base of coast-to-coast chain restaurants. Under Rosenthal and Blumenfeld’s leadership, the company continues to innovate to find new solutions and expand into new markets.
In fact, SMC recently invested in new packaging technology and developed a revolutionary new system to create ice packs to supply the emerging meal kit industry. Standard Meat is now the largest protein supplier to that exciting new sector.
“We’re so lucky that our dad, and our grandfather and great grandfather, trusted us with this legacy,” Blumenfeld added. “It’s a privilege and a joy to witness the impact this company continues to make in people’s lives. That’s thanks in large part to the people who do the incredible work day in and day out. We see our team as an extension of our own family, so this achievement is as much theirs as it is ours.”
Rosenthal added, “While Ashli and I will always be proud of our family history, we’re focused on building a foundation for the next 100 years. We view each relationship with our customers and suppliers as a partnership, and that means discovering and doing whatever it takes to drive business forward for our clients. Whatever strategic risks we take to move forward are worth it, because it’s far riskier to stand in one place. That’s the kind of legacy we want to leave.”
Winners were selected by a panel of independent judges composed of entrepreneurs and other respected business leaders from across the U.S. The candidates were evaluated based on their demonstration of building long-term value through entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth and impact, among other core contributions and attributes.
Rosenthal and Blumenfeld join the following leaders from across the nation as Entrepreneur Of The Year 2024 National Award winners:
- Christopher Barnett, CEO, ABA Centers, Fort Lauderdale, Florida (National Overall Award winner)
- Michael Intrator, CEO, Coreweave, Roseland, New Jersey
- Christine Chang and Sarah Lee, Co-Founders and Co-CEOs, Glow Recipe, New York, New York
- Eric Reimer, CEO and Co-Chairman of the Board, Healthmap Solutions, Tampa, Florida
- John Poindexter, CEO and Chairman of the Board, J.B Poindexter & Co, Inc., Houston, Texas
- Cassandra Thurswell, CEO, Kitsch, Los Angeles, California
- Marco Assis, CEO, Propio Language Services, Overland Park, Kansas
- Terrence McLean, CEO and Co-Founder, SageSure, Jersey City, New Jersey
- Dhruv Saxena, CEO, ShipBob, Chicago, Illinois
“With each passing year, the world is becoming increasingly complex, and the potential challenges to a business’s success are always evolving. This year’s national award winners have remained undaunted in the face of market, geopolitical, and economic uncertainties,” said Andrew (AJ) Jordan, EY Americas Entrepreneur Of The Year Director. “They’ve managed to grow, transform, and innovate within their industries and contribute to their communities even in the face of seemingly insurmountable hurdles. They lead by example and embody spirits of ambition, drive, and purpose. I cannot wait to see how they continue to transform the future.”
Since 1986, Entrepreneur Of The Year has honored an array of business leaders for their ingenuity, courage and entrepreneurial spirit. The program recognizes original founders who grew their business from inception; visionary CEOs who transformed companies with innovation, and family business leaders who modernized legacy models for future success.
The National winners were announced during a celebration held at the Strategic Growth Forum®, the nation’s most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies. Learn more about the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2024 National honorees. All regional and national winners who were celebrated this year are lifetime members of an esteemed community of award winners, with exclusive, continued access to the experience, insight and wisdom of fellow alumni and other ecosystem members to nearly 80 countries — all supported by the full suite of EY resources.
EY US also supports entrepreneurs through the EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women™ program and the EY Entrepreneurs Access Network to help connect women founders and Black and Hispanic/Latino entrepreneurs, respectively, with the resources, network and access needed to unlock their full potential.
