Charlotte Metro Entrepreneurs Named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2004 Award Recipients.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Professional services firm Ernst & Young LLP with co-sponsors Bank of America, Marsh, The Triangle Business Journal and Womble Carlyle announced today the award recipients of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year(R) 2004 Award. Miles Busby of Source Technologies and John Forlines of Bank of Granite, both from the Charlotte-metro area, took home this prestigious award. An independent panel of judges comprised of local community and business leaders selected the winners.

The Carolinas' Award Recipients of Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year are:

--  Realizing Business Potential
        Miles Busby
        Source Technologies
        Charlotte, NC

    --  Financial Services
        John Forlines
        Bank of Granite
        Granite Falls, NC

    --  Retail & Consumer Products
        Richard Brenner
        Amarr Garage Doors
        Winston Salem, NC

    --  Services
        Louis DeJoy
        New Breed Inc.
        Greensboro, NC

    --  Manufacturing & Distribution
        Jeffrey "Chad" Odom
        Innovative Container
        Greenville, SC

    --  Life Sciences & Health Services
        Kay Wagoner
        Icagen, Inc.
        Durham, NC

    --  Hospitality
        Chad Walldorf, Jeff Goldstein & Todd Eischeid
        Sticky Fingers RibHouse
        Mt. Pleasant, SC

    --  Technology
        Scot Wingo
        ChannelAdvisor Corporation
        Morrisville, NC

"Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award recipients embrace the entrepreneurial spirit and determination necessary to achieve success," said Tom Lankford, Charlotte Office Managing Partner, Ernst & Young. "Ernst & Young is proud of its history recognizing and supporting these outstanding leaders and their companies."

The Carolinas' award recipients are now eligible for consideration for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2004 national program. Winners in several national categories, as well as the overall national Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, Calif., in November 2004. The overall national Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award winner is then considered for the world event held in Monte Carlo.

About The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year(R) Awards Program

The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year awards program was created and is produced by professional services firm Ernst & Young LLP. As the first award of its kind, the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who are building and leading dynamic and growing businesses. The program honors entrepreneurs through regional, national and global award programs in over 100 cities and 35 countries.

About Ernst & Young

Ernst & Young, a global leader in professional services, is committed to restoring the public's trust in professional services firms and in the quality of financial reporting. Its 103,000 people in more than 140 countries around the globe pursue the highest levels of integrity, quality, and professionalism to provide clients with solutions based on financial, transactional, and risk-management knowledge in Ernst & Young's core services of audit, tax, and transaction services. Ernst & Young practices also provide legal services in those parts of the world where permitted. Further information about Ernst & Young and its approach to a variety of business issues can be found at www.ey.com/perspectives. Ernst & Young refers to all the members of the global Ernst & Young organization.