EY US celebrates ambitious entrepreneurs shaping the future of business

BOSTON, April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Frank Vella, CEO of Constant Contact, has been named a finalist for the Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2026 New England Award by Ernst & Young LLP (EY US). Now in its 41st year, the Entrepreneur Of The Year program celebrates the bold leaders who disrupt markets through the world’s most ground-breaking companies, revolutionizing industries and uplifting communities. The program honors entrepreneurs whose innovations drive economic growth and help shape the future of business.

An independent panel of judges selected Vella among 24 finalists based on their entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, company growth and lasting impact in building long-term value.

“New England was built on the grit and grind of small business owners, and that’s who we show up for every day at Constant Contact,” said Frank Vella, CEO of Constant Contact. “I’ve built a career enabling entrepreneurs with the tools to compete, grow, and thrive on their own terms. None of that happens without customers who trust us, a team that believes in the mission, and the New England community that continues to inspire it. This recognition means the world because it’s validation that this work matters.”

Founded in 1995 in Waltham, Massachusetts, Constant Contact is the AI-powered marketing partner for small businesses and nonprofits. For more than 30 years, the company has helped entrepreneurs and nonprofit leaders stay connected with their customers, build lasting relationships, and grow.

Vella’s leadership at the company has been fueled by a disciplined, multi-stage capital strategy designed to transform a legacy brand into an independent SaaS powerhouse.

Entrepreneur Of The Year honors business leaders for their ingenuity, courage and entrepreneurial spirit. The program celebrates original founders who bootstrapped their business from inception or who raised outside capital to grow their company, transformational CEOs who infused innovation into an existing organization to catapult its trajectory, and multigenerational family business leaders who reimagined a legacy business model to strengthen it for the future.

This year’s New England finalists represent Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont across all industries, including technology, consumer products, manufacturing, finance, life sciences and more.

Regional award winners will be announced on June 16 during a special celebration in Boston, Massachusetts, and will become lifetime members of an esteemed community of Entrepreneur Of The Year alumni from around the world. The winners will then be considered by the national judges for the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards, which will be presented in November at the annual Strategic Growth Forum^®, where high-growth CEOs, Fortune 1000 executives and investors converge to shape the future of business.

Sponsors
Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards include presenting sponsors PNC Bank, Cresa, LLC, Marsh USA, SAP, and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. In New England, sponsors also include regional Platinum sponsor, DLA Piper, regional Gold sponsor, ADP, and regional Silver sponsor, Stagedge.

About Entrepreneur Of The Year^®Founded in 1986, Entrepreneur Of The Year^® has celebrated more than 11,000 ambitious visionaries who are leading successful, dynamic businesses in the US, and it has since expanded to nearly 80 countries and territories globally.

The US program consists of 17 regional programs whose panels of independent judges select the regional award winners every June. Those winners compete for national recognition at the Strategic Growth Forum ^® in November where national finalists and award winners are announced. The national overall winner represents the US at the World Entrepreneur Of The Year^® competition. Visit ey.com/us/eoy.

About EY
EY is building a better working world by creating new value for clients, people, society and the planet, while building trust in capital markets.

Enabled by data, AI and advanced technology, EY teams help clients shape the future with confidence and develop answers for the most pressing issues of today and tomorrow.

EY teams work across a full spectrum of services in assurance, consulting, tax, strategy and transactions. Fueled by sector insights, a globally connected, multi-disciplinary network and diverse ecosystem partners, EY teams can provide services in more than 150 countries and territories.

All in to shape the future with confidence.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via ey.com/privacy. EY member firms do not practice law where prohibited by local laws. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

About Constant Contact
Constant Contact is the AI-powered marketing partner for small businesses and nonprofits. For more than 30 years, the company has helped entrepreneurs and nonprofit leaders run smarter marketing — today combining AI-driven content creation, intelligent audience targeting, and plain-English insights in one unified platform across email, social, SMS, and events. By doing the heavy lifting for entrepreneurs, Constant Contact gives every business owner the capability of a full marketing team — without needing one. Learn more at constantcontact.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/frank-vella-ceo-of-constant-contact-named-entrepreneur-of-the-year-2026-new-england-finalist-by-ey-us-302750702.html