Two Milwaukee-area business leaders were recognized last night as winners of EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year 2019 Midwest Award.
Dennis Klumb Jr. of New Berlin-based KS Energy Services LLC and Peter Ullrich of Mequon-based Titan Spine Inc. were recognized with seven other Midwest winners at a black-tie gala in Chicago on Wednesday.
Klumb and his family established the construction maintenance services firm in 2005. According to EY, Dennis has brought on three private equity shareholders to change the company’s ownership structure and has helped expand KS to 1,161 employees.
A former orthopedic spine surgeon, Ullrich founded Titan Spine in 2006 to manufacture and distribute his design for titanium spinal implants with a specially grooved surface to speed recovery. EY pointed out Ullrich has helped reduce the need for opioids among patients with Titan Spine implants, and disrupted the plastic-focused spinal implant industry.
The winners were selected by an independent judging panel of previous winners, leading CEOs, investors and other business leaders.
Klumb and Ullrich are also in the running for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year National Awards, which will be held in November.
“There are many successful entrepreneurs in this world, but to build something truly remarkable, you can’t let anything stand in your way,” said Lee Henderson, program director for EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Midwest. “EY is proud to honor the 2019 Midwest winners who are inspiring innovation without limitation and fueling growth and prosperity by being truly unstoppable.”
