CEO of Celebree School Named Winner of EY's Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2025 Mid-Atlantic Award
Richard Huffman Recognized for Driving Innovation, Empowerment, and the Future of Social Development
June 30, 2025 // Franchising.com // Baltimore MD – Celebree School, a leader in early childhood education offering infant and toddler care, preschool, before and aftercare, and summer camp programs, is proud to announce CEO Richard Huffman has been honored as a 2025 Entrepreneur Of The Year® Mid-Atlantic Award winner by Ernst & Young LLP (EY US). For 40 years, Entrepreneur of Year has served as a competitive awards program for leaders of high-growth companies, celebrating ambitious entrepreneurs who are transforming industries, impacting communities and creating long-term value.
Entrepreneur Of The Year honors bold, innovative leaders, from founders who built from the ground up to CEOs transforming existing organizations and multigenerational leaders redefining legacy businesses. Huffman was selected by an independent panel of judges made up of past winners, top CEOs, and business leaders. Candidates were evaluated based on their ability to create long-term value through entrepreneurial spirit, purpose-driven leadership, and significant growth and impact.
“Being recognized as an Entrepreneur Of The Year in the Mid-Atlantic region is an incredible honor,” said Huffman. “What started as a single early education center has grown into a movement, one that empowers entrepreneurs, supports families, and strengthens communities. This award belongs to every team member, franchise partner, and educator who shares our vision for a better future for children.”
As a regional award winner, Huffman 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®, one of the nation’s most prestigious gatherings of high-growth, market-leading companies. 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.
In 1994, Richard Huffman opened the first Celebree School with the goal of creating a nurturing, education-driven environment for children. Today, Celebree School has grown into a leading early childhood education franchise with locations operating or in development across 17 states. Each school is guided by Huffman's founding principles: to Grow People Big and Small™, which prioritizes nurturing children, empowering teachers and leadership teams, and supporting the families served every day.
Driven by his passion to empower and guide entrepreneurs, Huffman expanded his mission in 2024 with the launch of Huffman Family Brands (HFB), a platform that unites and supports the efforts of Celebree School, Caliday, the Huffman Family Foundation, HWG Properties, Celebree Enterprise, and Huffman’s personal brand. Through this growing network, HFB is committed to empowering communities nationwide by leveraging shared expertise, resources, and a common vision for meaningful change.
Celebree School is continuing its national expansion efforts and is currently seeking qualified and engaged individuals for single and multi-unit opportunities to bring quality childhood education to their communities.
To learn more about Celebree School franchising opportunities, visit https://www.celebree.com/franchising.
About Celebree School
Founded in 1994, Celebree School is a leader in early childhood education that provides infant and toddler care, preschool, before and aftercare, and summer camp programs. With a mission to Grow People Big and Small™, Celebree School believes success in early childhood development is equal parts curriculum and connection. Each school employs a customized program that addresses the physical, social, emotional, and academic needs of children and follows applicable state guidelines. In 2019, Celebree School launched its franchise offering. In 2024, Celebree School’s founder, Richard Huffman, launched a new parent company called Huffman Family Brands, merging Celebree affiliated concepts under one multi-brand company structure. Learn more about how we grow confident children who are prepared for school and life at Celebree.com. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
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 60 countries 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 overall National winner represents the US at the EY 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.
SOURCE Celebree School
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