The Albany Gazette - Jessica Blackburn of Crown Paving Named Entrepreneur Of The Year(R) 2026 Southeast Finalist by EY US

NASHVILLE, TN / ACCESS Newswire / June 8, 2026 / Jessica Blackburn, Chief Manager & Co-Founder of Crown Paving, LLC, has been named a finalist for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 Southeast 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 Jessica Blackburn among 35 finalists based on their entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, company growth and lasting impact in building long-term value.

"Being named an EY Entrepreneur Of The Year finalist is truly humbling-not just for me, but for every single person on the Crown Paving team," said Jessica Blackburn, Chief Manager & Co-Founder of Crown Paving. We've worked hard to build a company rooted in integrity, excellence, and opportunity. This recognition isn't about me. It's about elevating our team who rise early every morning, take pride in their trade, and pour that skill and pride into every project we perform. Our mission has always been simple: create good jobs in our community, do work we stand behind, and give God the glory in all we do."

Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Greenbrier, Tennessee, Crown Paving is a Southeast regional paving contractor specializing in asphalt paving and site work for the commercial, retail, hospitality, education, and government sectors. What began as a local Middle Tennessee operation has steadily expanded its customer base across the state, earning a reputation for quality craftsmanship, reliable execution, and long-term client partnerships.

"Building a company over the last decade has required perseverance, strategic decision-making, and an incredible team," Blackburn added. Every year of growth represents relationships earned, projects successfully delivered, and a commitment to creating opportunities for our employees and customers. We're grateful for how far we've come and remain focused on building a sustainable company that will continue serving our clients and communities for years to come."

Crown Paving has since expanded its geographic footprint into Alabama and Florida, further strengthening its presence throughout the Southeast. With a team of 50 professionals, Crown Paving remains focused on delivering exceptional results while building lasting relationships with clients across the region.

"Growth isn't just about doing more work-it's about doing better work," Blackburn said. "Our investment in 3D paving and milling capabilities, GPS modeling, and advanced paving technology has transformed how we deliver projects. These tools allow us to build with exceptional accuracy, increase production speed, and deliver reliable, data-driven results to our customers. By combining cutting-edge technology with an experienced workforce, we've positioned Crown Paving to lead the industry while delivering greater value to every client we serve."

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 Southeast finalists represent Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee across all industries, including technology, consumer products, manufacturing, finance and more.

Regional award winners will be announced on June 18 during a special celebration in Charlotte, NC 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 the Southeast, sponsors also include VACO, LLC as the regional Platinum sponsor; ADP and King & Spalding as the regional Gold sponsors; and Babbit Bodner as the regional Silver sponsor.

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 Crown Paving

Crown Paving, LLC is a Southeast regional paving contractor headquartered in Greenbrier, Tennessee, specializing in asphalt paving, maintenance, concrete services, milling, sealcoating, and striping. Founded in 2015, the company serves commercial, retail, hospitality, education, government, and other sectors throughout Tennessee, Florida, and Alabama. Crown Paving is certified as a Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) and Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB) through the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), as well as a Women Business Enterprise (WBE) by the Governor's Office of Diversity Business Enterprise for the State of Tennessee. The company is committed to delivering quality craftsmanship, innovative technology, and exceptional customer service while creating opportunities for its employees and communities. For more information, visit crownpaving.com.

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Media Contact:
Audra Wait, President
Wait & Co. on behalf of Crown Paving
[email protected] | 615-504-8812

SOURCE: Crown Paving

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(W.Williams--TAG)