K9 Resorts Co-Founders Named Winner of EY’s Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2025 New Jersey Award

By: K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel | 0 Shares 83 Reads

June 19, 2025 // Franchising.com // BERKELEY HEIGHTS, N.J. – K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel is excited to announce that its Co-Founders and Co-CEOs, Jason and Steven Parker, have been named the 2025 Entrepreneur Of The Year® New Jersey Award winners by Ernst & Young LLP (EY US). Entrepreneur of the Year celebrates ambitious leaders who are transforming industries, impacting communities, and creating long-term value.

K9 Resorts was chosen by an independent panel of past winners, top CEOs and business leaders. Judges assessed candidates on long-term value creation, entrepreneurial spirit, purpose-driven commitment and significant growth and impact.

“Being named an Entrepreneur Of The Year is incredibly humbling and deeply validating,” said Jason. “What started as a childhood dream between my brother and I has grown into a recognized brand. This award is not just a celebration of what we’ve built, it’s a testament to the trust our franchisees, team members, and pet parents place in us every single day.”

As a New Jersey award winner, K9 Resorts is now eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 National Awards. The National Award winners, including the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner, will be announced in November at the Strategic Growth Forum®. The Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner will then move on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Award in June 2026.

“This recognition is a reflection of the incredible people who make K9 Resorts what it is,” said Steven. “From our passionate franchisees to our hardworking staff at every location, we’ve built a system that puts excellence and compassion at the center. We’re honored to lead a company that is changing the way people think about pet care.”

Entrepreneur Of The Year recognizes many different types of 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.

The foundation of K9 Resorts is rooted in a passion for pets, as the Parker brothers were only 14 and 12 years old when they launched their first dog walking business. Their venture quickly took off which further inspired them to build a career within the pet industry, and a few years later, the first K9 Resorts location opened in 2005.

SOURCE K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel

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