Ernst & Young on Monday announced the Utah finalists for its annual Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.

This year's 25 finalists were selected from 50 nominations by an independent judging panel composed of area business, academic and civic leaders, the company said in a statement. The award recipients will be honored at a special 20th anniversary event June 16 at the Salt Palace Convention Center.

The 2006 Utah finalists are:

• Dr. H. DeWayne Ashmead, Albion Laboratories.

• Sheryl Laukat and Tevis Laukat, Cannonball Musical Instruments.

• Jeanette R. Lynton, Close to My Heart.

• Will West, Control4.

• Hydee Willis and Karianne Marcum, Creative Expressions Inc.

• Jefferson G. Pedersen, Del Sol.

• Brent Williams, Dental Select.

• Michael Proper, DirectPointe Inc.

• Becky Lunceford, For Every Body.

• Weston Swenson, Forum Systems.

• Mark Burton, International Armoring Group.

• Edward Shelton Pace, Lake City International.

• Brad Walters, Hugh Nielsen, Nick Mecham and David Steed, Maxstream Inc.

• Dr. J. Kipp Lassetter, Medicity Inc.

• Amy Rees Lewis, MediConnect.net Inc.

• Dallin McKay Anderson, Montigen Pharmaceuticals.

• Josh James and John Pestana, Omniture.

• Barbara Zimonja, Premier Resorts.

• Rhett Roberts, Redmond Minerals.

• Kurt L. Larsen and B. Dawn Larsen, Resource Management.

• Royce Rasmussen, Royce Industries.

• Chelsea Rippy, Shade Clothing.

• Lindsay Atwood, TruVision.

• Dr. Dan Fisher, Ultradent Products.

• Gary Hollister and Aaron Garrity, XanGo.

The Utah award recipients will be eligible to compete in Ernst & Young's 2006 Entrepreneur of the Year national contest. The national winner will be announced at an event in Palm Springs, Calif., on Nov. 18.

For more information or to RSVP for the June event, contact Nicole Davis at Ernst & Young by calling 801-350-3430 or e-mailing nicole.davis@ey.com. The cost to attend is $125 per person, or $1,250 for a table of 10.

The Deseret Morning News is a sponsor of the Utah Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year program.