OMAHA, Nebreaska – Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) announced that Chief Executive Officer Todd Graeve of Scooter’s Coffee was named an entrepreneur of the year 2023 Heartland Award winner. The Entrepreneur of the year awards program is one of the preeminent competitive awards for entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies.
Graeve was selected by an independent judging panel made up of previous award winners, leading CEOs, investors and other regional business leaders. 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.
Todd Graeve named an entrepreneur Of the year 2023 Heartland Award winner
Founded in Nebraska in 1998 and celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2023, Scooter’s Coffee is a rapidly growing drive-thru coffee and specialty drink franchise system that is approaching 700 stores in 29 states and will advance to 1,000 stores during 2024.
Graeve joined Scooter’s Coffee in 2005 as a franchisee and developer. In 2008, he joined the leadership team as Chief Financial Officer before transitioning to CEO in 2016. With an unwavering commitment to Scooter’s Coffee Core Values of Integrity, Love, Humility and Courage, Graeve leads initiatives focused on the continued success and growth of Scooter’s Coffee, the franchisees and their teams, and a vertically integrated supply chain division, Harvest Roasting.
“Truly, this recognition is on behalf of a tremendous leadership team, dedicated franchisees and each and every employee of Scooter’s Coffee and Harvest Roasting,” said Graeve. “Our brand has experienced exponential growth over the past five years and none of this would have been possible without the hard work of each person within the entire organization. I am so proud of our franchisees and employees, and consider it a privilege to serve them and this organization.”
For nearly four decades, EY US has honored entrepreneurs whose ambition, courage and ingenuity have driven their companies’ success, transformed their industries and made a positive impact on their communities.
Entrepreneur Of The Year Award winners become lifetime members of a global, multi-industry community of entrepreneurs, with exclusive, ongoing access to the experience, insight and wisdom of program alumni and other ecosystem members in over 60 countries — all supported by vast EY resources. Since 1986, the Entrepreneur Of The Year program has recognized more than 11,000 US executives.
As a Heartland award winner, Graeve is now eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2023 National Awards. The National Award winners including the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner will be announced in November at the Strategic Growth Forum, one of the nation’s most prestigious gatherings of high-growth, market-leading companies. The Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner will then move on to compete for the World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in June 2024.
The entrepreneur of the year program has honored the inspirational leadership of entrepreneurs such as:
• Greg Siwak of CareVet
• Marilyn Carlson Nelson of Carlson
• Dave Perril of Compute North
• Dr. Subodh Kulkarn of CyberOptics Corporation
• Barry McCarthy of Deluxe Corporation
• Douglas Baker, Jr. of Ecolab, Inc.
• Andy Taylor of Enterprise Rent-A-Car
• Christine Lantinen of Maud Borup Inc.
• Tyrre Burks of Player’s Health
• Shelly Ibach of Sleep Number
• Steve Gill, Josh Hochschuler of Talenti Gelato
• Jason Von Bank of Wellbeats
Sponsors
Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards include presenting sponsors PNC Bank, N.A.; SAP America; and the Kauffman Foundation. In Heartland, sponsors also include regional Platinum sponsors Colliers International, Padilla and Twin Cities Business.
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. National Overall Award winners go on to compete for the World entrepreneur of the year title.
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About Scooter’s Coffee
Founded in 1998 by Don and Linda Eckles in Bellevue, Nebraska, Scooter’s Coffee uses only the finest coffee beans in the world, which are roasted by its affiliated company, Harvest Roasting, in Omaha, Nebraska. In more than two decades of business, the key to Scooter’s Coffee’s success is simple: stay committed to the original business principles and company’s four core values, which are Integrity, Love, Humility and Courage.
The Scooter’s Coffee Brand Promise, often recited to franchisees, customers and employees, is: “Amazing People, Amazing Drinks… Amazingly Fast!” It represents the company’s business origins and reflects a steady commitment to providing an unforgettable experience to loyal and new customers.
Scooter’s Coffee, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2023, is at the dawn of a strategic growth phase nationwide, approaching 700 stores in 29 states and over 1,000 stores by mid-2024. The U.S. coffee market is an estimated $48 billion-a-year, recession-resistant industry, and Scooter’s Coffee is striving to become the #1 drive-thru specialty coffee franchise system in the nation.
