The shortlist for an annual awards scheme which recognises the region's finest entrepreneurs has been unveiled.
A total of 28 people from 23 companies have been named in EY's Midlands Entrepreneur of the Year awards.
EY said the group of businesses has collectively grown by 27 per cent over the past year, delivered a combined £1.1 billion of revenue and employs more than 6,400 people.
The Midlands final will be held on June 17 at Opus restaurant, in Birmingham, with regional winners automatically going forward to the national finals in October and the chance to represent the UK at a global awards ceremony in June 2015.
The full shortlist is:
Jeremy Nesbitt, Affordable Warmth Solutions
Steve Morris, APSU
Willie Paterson, Asset Alliance
Mark Kerridge, Benson Box Co
Brian Murray, Boss Design Group
Ian Andrews, Dee Set
Martyn Rees and Will Rees, Direct Online Services
Jonathan Short, ECO Plastics
Wayne Martin, GCI
Alan Barratt and Juliet Barratt, Grenade
Karl Hick, Larkfleet Group
Peter Davenport, Motiva Group
Michael Lilley, My Time CIC
Guy Mucklow and Jamie Turner, Postcode Anywhere
John Sutton and David Whitehouse, Pure Staff
Nigel Curry, Rhead Group
Stuart Bell, Right Track Social Enterprise
Andy Pendlebury, RTC Group
Andy Metcalfe and Steve Speller, Speller Metcalfe
Jean Jarvis, MBE, The Furniture Scheme
Michael Parry, Torus Measurement Systems
Adam Shaw, Uniting Ambition
Craig Errington, Wesleyan Assurance Society
Adrian Roberts, EY partner and entrepreneur of the year leader for the Midlands, said: "This year's finalists are growing their businesses and making a significant contribution to the UK economy.
"EY is passionate about recognising successful entrepreneurs in the Midlands and it's crucial we continue to recognise and support these entrepreneurial business leaders.
"They lay the foundations for job and wealth creation and have a critical role to play in our region's economic expansion."
The judging panel is chaired by Andy Street, managing director of John Lewis and chairman of the Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership.
He will joined by Paul Bassi, chief executive of Real Estate Investors; Paul Thandi, chief executive of the NEC Group; Alan Jackson, chairman of Intercity Telecom; Matt Upton, director of ISIS Equity Partners; Karen Lowthrop, chief executive of Hill Holt Wood; Graham Whitworth, chairman and group chief executive of Sprue Aegis; and Peter Chinnery, independent retail consultant.
The 2014 programme is sponsored by Credit Suisse.