JJulia H. Klein, CEO of C.H. Briggs Company, the largest independently owned distributor of specialty building products in the country, has been named a finalist in the Ernst & Young 2008 Entrepreneur Of The Year awards for Greater Philadelphia. Designed to recognize and celebrate outstanding entrepreneurs and business leaders, the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year program celebrates its 22nd anniversary this year. In the business community, it has become widely recognized as the most prestigious award for entrepreneurs.

Finalists and awards recipients are chosen on a regional, national and global level. The Greater Philadelphia Entrepreneur of the Year program is one of 26 regional contests across the United States.

The Philadelphia area finalists were chosen by a panel of independent judges comprised of prominent business, academic and civic leaders as well as past award recipients. Finalists have demonstrated excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance, and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. The finalists have excelled at building, expanding, and sustaining their high-growth companies. Acting as catalysts for change, their hard work and ingenuity epitomizes the entrepreneurial spirit.

Ms. Klein joins 22 other finalists representing 21 Pennsylvania companies. Award winners will be announced at a gala event on Thursday, June 26th at the Loews Hotel in Philadelphia.

Ms. Kleins nomination reflects her success and the impact she has had on the distribution industry as well as the
local community. Speaking about the award, Ms. Klein said, Being selected as a finalist in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year competition is an exceptional honor, not just for me, but also for the entire team at C.H. Briggs who work tirelessly everyday to meet customer needs and keep our business on the fast track. I am grateful to each of them, as well as our customers and vendors who help us grow the business year after year. Im privileged to know many of the other distinguished Philadelphia finalists personally and I extend my hearty congratulations to them on this achievement.

All regional award winners will vie for the national Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards and be recognized at a black-tie gala, hosted by Jay Leno, on November 15 in Palm Springs, California.

Ms. Klein adds this award to numerous other distinguished honors including being named among Womens
Enterprise USA magazines top 100 women-owned businesses, Pennsylvania's 50 Best Women in Business, and Working Woman magazines top 500 women-owned businesses in the United States for four consecutive years. Under her leadership, Enterprising Women magazine recognized C.H. Briggs as one of the largest women-owned businesses in the country in 2007, and the Womens Business Enterprise Council awarded Klein the Women Who Are Changing America award in 2005. Kleins commitment to enhancing opportunities in the world of commerce has also led C.H. Briggs to become WBENC (Womens Business Enterprise National Council) certified. Through Kleins leadership, C.H. Briggs was twice named a national winner in the Inc. Magazine/Cisco Systems "Growing with Technology" awards and has received awards from Kitchen & Bath Design News for Innovative Supplier and Community Service.

Her current community involvement includes serving on the boards of The Reading Hospital and Medical Center, Quaker Maid Meats, Inc., and Modern Distribution Management, Inc. She is also chairperson of the Berks County Community Foundation.

In the distribution industry, Klein is a board member of the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors Research and Education Foundation, a founding member of the Cabinet Industry Distribution Association, and a former board member of the North American Building Materials Distribution Association. She is a member of the Young President's Organization and the Committee of 200.

Ms. Klein holds a B.A. degree from the College of Wooster and an M.A. degree from the University of Chicago where she was an Urban Scholars Fellow.

About C.H. Briggs Company
C.H. Briggs Company is the largest independently owned distributor of interior and specialty building products in the United States. Representing more than 200 brands, C.H. Briggs is a leading provider of hardware and production supplies; hardwood, plywood and other board and panel products; and premium surfacing products such as DuPont Corian ® solid surfaces, DuPont Zodiaq® quartz surfaces, and granite natural stone; as well as an environmentally-friendly GreenGuard and FSC-certified product line under its BriggsECO mark. Serving the residential and commercial construction industries, as well as the architecture and design communities, its customers include manufacturers of countertops, cabinets, and commercial casework and displays, as well as kitchen/bath and specialty retailers. Through distribution centers in Reading and Telford, Pennsylvania and Savage, Maryland, C.H. Briggs provides next day delivery to 7 states in the Mid-Atlantic region, as well as Ohio, Michigan, and North Carolina. Headquartered in Reading, Pennsylvania, the firms web site is www.chbriggs.com.

About Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur Of The Year
Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year is the world's most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The award makes a difference through the unique way it encourages entrepreneurial activity among those with potential and recognizes the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership, achievement and social responsibility. As the first and only truly global award of its kind, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 135 cities in 50 countries.

Ernst & Young is a global leader in professional services. Its 114,000 people in 140 countries pursue the highest levels of integrity, quality, and professionalism in providing a range of sophisticated services centered on auditing, accounting, tax, and transactions. The firms website is www.ey.com.