New York, NY On June 22nd, Kenneth Colao, president and co-founder of construction management firm CNY Group, received the Entrepreneur of the Year 2017 Award in the Real Estate, Hospitality and Construction category in N.Y. from EY. The award recognizes entrepreneurs who are exceling in areas such as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Colao was selected by an independent panel of judges, and the award was presented to winners in all categories at a gala held at the Marriott Marquis. 

“It is an incredible honor to be named EY’s New York Entrepreneur of the Year for the real estate, hospitality and construction category,” said Colao, whose company is currently working for some of Manhattan’s most active and well-known developers. Projects include the construction of a Marriott Edition hotel at 20 Times Square; conversion of the top 30 floors of the historic Woolworth Building into luxury residences; and the transformation of Tammany Hall into high-end office space. “CNY has earned a strong reputation for leadership, expertise, integrity and innovation.   It is so gratifying that our achievements --- including surmounting challenges in the aftermath of 9/11--have been recognized as best in New York by such a prestigious global organization as EY.” 

As a New York award winner, Colao is now eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2017 national program. Award winners in several national categories, as well as the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner, will be announced at the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards gala in Palm Springs, California, on November 18, 2017. The awards are the culminating event of the Strategic Growth Forum, the nation’s most prominent gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies.