In a landscape typically dominated by tech, healthcare, and hard goods, a creative upstart just made waves. Ernst & Young LLP has named Charlie Tetrick, President and CEO of Walz Tetrick Advertising, as a 2025 Entrepreneur Of The Year Heartland Award winner—marking a rare victory for the advertising world in a competition usually reserved for heavy-industry disruptors and tech titans.
The Entrepreneur Of The Year program, now in its 40th year, is among the most respected business honors in the U.S., spotlighting founders and leaders of high-growth companies who are redefining industries. For someone from the advertising sector to crack this circle? That’s not just a win—it’s a statement.
“We’ve taken a few risks along the way and our growth has been such a great reward,” said Tetrick. “Our company has been blessed with some wonderful national clients and a truly amazing team to make the magic happen every day.”
Why This Win Matters
Advertising firms don’t typically top the shortlist for EY’s Entrepreneur Of The Year awards, which historically favor sectors like retail, healthcare, and software. Tetrick’s inclusion reflects not just his firm’s performance, but a broader shift in how creative service businesses are being viewed in the B2B economy—as serious engines of growth and innovation.
Walz Tetrick Advertising, based in the Kansas City area, has been steadily punching above its weight. With major national clients, an emphasis on long-term brand building, and a willingness to take calculated risks, the agency has grown well beyond its regional roots. This recognition underscores the firm’s strategic agility in an age when agencies must deliver not just creative, but measurable business impact.
What’s Next?
Tetrick is now in the running for EY’s Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 National Awards, to be announced in November at the Strategic Growth Forum—a high-wattage gathering of the country’s fastest-growing companies. From there, the national winner moves on to the World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Award in 2026.
While there’s still a long way to go in the competition, Tetrick’s win is already reverberating across the ad world—and may just inspire other agency leaders to rethink their potential on the national stage.
Context: A New Breed of Creative Entrepreneurs
Tetrick joins a growing cohort of business leaders who are blurring the lines between creativity and commerce. In an era where data, storytelling, and agility drive market advantage, agencies like Walz Tetrick are finding new relevance. They’re no longer just vendors—they’re strategic partners shaping everything from customer experience to brand loyalty.
