2012’s Top Irish Entrepreneurs we’re announced today and I’m on the list. Here’s the list of the finalists, we’ll all meet up in Silicon Valley, San Francisco for the EOY CEO retreat and the TV program which air’s in October.

ERNST & YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR FINALISTS

EMERGING Category

Zatori Results – Ronan OBrien

Aspen Grove – Seán Ryan

Cobone.com– Paul Kenny

Connect Telecom – Matthew Brown

Glenilen – Alan and Valerie Kingston

Optivia Biotechnology – Peter Milner

Simply Zesty – Niall Harbison

Voya – Mark and Kira Walton

INDUSTRY

Barry Fitzwilliam – Michael Barry

Decora Blind Systems – Stuart and Russell Dickson

Digiweb Group – Colm Piercy

Finnebrogue – Denis Lynn

Genesis Crafty – Brian McErlain

Keltech – Ray Breen

Nightline Logistics Group – John Tuohy and

David Field

Willowbrook Foods – John McCann

INTERNATIONAL

Apex Fund Services – John Bohan

Cove Energy Plc – John Craven

Dairymaster – Edmond Harty

Excelsys Technologies – Gary Duffy

Kenmare Resources plc – Michael Carvill

OSG Group – Malcolm Hughes

Oxygen8 Communications Ltd – Shane Leahy

Rigney Dolphin – Frank Adrienne Dolphin

I’m delighted to have been asked to speak at the European Small Business Alliance Seminar in Brussels on the 28th of June 2012.

The conference will be based around how to increase employment across Europe, in particular the stats that 85% of employment nowadays is created by SME’s and that 92% of all EU businesses are Micro-Businesses with less than 10 employees.

The conference takes place at The Hotel – Brussels, Boulevard de Waterloo 38, Brussels. Keynote Speach is The Vice President of the European Commission Antonio Tajani (TBC) and Mr Marko Curavić, Head of Unit, DG Enterprise and Industry, European Commission will also be speaking.

Saw this and it made me smile.

Really chuffed to have been announced as finalist for the 2012 Business Person of the Year Award Category in the MidlandsIreland.ie Best in Business Awards. The Final takes place, on Thursday 21st June 2012 in the Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone, County Westmeath.