ADS, Inc. CEO Luke Hillier Named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2010 Award Winner in Greater Washington
ADS, Inc. CEO Luke Hillier Named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2010 Award Winner in Greater Washington Award Recognizes Entrepreneurial Excellence in Government Contracting Category
Virginia Beach, VA, June 30, 2010 – ADS, Inc. (Atlantic Diving Supply), the industry-leading operational equipment solutions provider, announced today that CEO Luke Hillier received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2010 Award in the Government Contracting category in Greater Washington. According to Ernst & Young LLP, the award recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who are building and leading dynamic, growing businesses. Hillier was selected by an independent panel of judges, and the award was presented at a gala event at the Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner on Thursday June 24, 2010.
Created in 1997, ADS is a second-generation family-owned business. Originally Atlantic Diving Supply, ADS was the government sales division of Lynnhaven Dive Center, the Hillier family dive shop which opened its doors in 1979. Under Hillier’s guidance and direction ADS has succeeded in diversifying through the addition of a broad array of government procurement vehicles and expansion of the company’s logistics services capabilities to include kitting and assembly operations, total asset visibility, and supply chain management. In barely a decade, Hillier has grown ADS from a two-person organization to an equipment and logistics powerhouse with hundreds of dedicated professionals providing a combined 1,000-plus years of military service. Today, ADS is a global company and the U.S. government’s operational equipment supply chain manager and equipment integrator of choice.
“People always ask me why ADS is so successful.” said ADS CEO Luke Hillier. “The answer is simple; it’s because of our people and our mission. We have a great team at ADS. From our operations, warehouse and logistics support professionals, to our sales force and our executive team, the entire organization believes in our company mission. They bend over backwards to help the men and women in uniform who serve our country.” Hillier went on to say, “I am proud of this award but I could never have achieved this level of success without the dedicated professionals at ADS who helped me get here.”
The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year awards celebrate their 24th anniversary this year. The program honors entrepreneurs who have demonstrated exceptionality in such areas as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities.
As a Greater Washington award winner, Hillier is now eligible for consideration for the Ernst & Young LLP Entrepreneur Of The Year 2010 national program. Award winners in several national categories, as well as the overall national Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award winner, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, California on November 13, 2010. The awards are the culminating event of the Ernst & Young Strategic Growth Forum, the nation’s most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies.
Sponsors Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, The Entrepreneur Of The Year awards are please to have the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and SAP America as national sponsors.
In Greater Washington, sponsors include HSBC Bank, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, Reznick Group, PC, The Washington Business Journal, Cassidy Turley, Soloman Edwards Group and Lockton Companies.
About ADS, Inc.
ADS, Inc. (www.ADSInc.com) is a second-generation family-owned small business, created in 1997 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Originally Atlantic Diving Supply, ADS was the government sales division of Lynnhaven Dive Center, a local diving supply company founded in 1979 catering to the Norfolk-Virginia Beach military and commercial diving community. Since then, ADS has widely expanded its product offering and government procurement vehicles providing on-time, essential operational equipment combined with industry-leading logistics solutions to all branches of the U.S. military and Federal Agencies. From tactical and special operational equipment to fire and emergency services, expeditionary, medical, and MRO equipment, ADS oversees every aspect of the supply chain and ensures availability of superior equipment to our men and women in uniform.
About Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur Of The Year® Awards Program
Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur Of The Year® is the world’s most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The award makes a difference through the unique way it encourages entrepreneurial activity among those with potential and recognizes the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. As the first and only truly global award of its kind, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 135 cities in 50 countries.
Ernst & Young refers to the global organization of member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young LLP is a client-serving member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited located in the U.S.
