Pennsylvania SBDC client H. Rochelle Stachel, founder and vice president of HRV Conformance Verification Associates, Inc. was awarded the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Western Pennsylvania & West Virginia on June 22.  Stachel, whose business is headquartered in Pittsburgh, was among 20 finalists and ultimately received the award in the construction category.  Another Pennsylvania SBDC client, William Baker of Irwin Car and Equipment, was also a finalist for the awards program.

Stachel first worked with the Duquesne University SBDC in 2003 to craft her business plan and receive assistance filing for Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) certifications.  Most recently she has been working with the manager of international programs at Duquesne University SBDC.

As a regional award winner, Stachel is invited to attend the Strategic Growth Forum to be held in November in Palm Springs, California.  According to Ernst & Young, the 2012 award program is comprised of 1,700 nominees employing nearly 926,000 people.  These companies have generated revenue of over $235 billion, averaging $139 million per company and with revenue growth growing in excess of 40% since 2009.

In its 26th year, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year is the world's most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs.  As the first and only truly global award of its kind, 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 140 cities in more than 50 countries.