Thrive Aviation CEO Edenfield nominated for Ernst & Young award

Thrive Aviation CEO Curtis Edenfield has been named a finalist for Ernst & Young’s 2025 Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the Pacific Southwest.

Founded in 1986, the award has since expanded to nearly 60 countries globally.

The U.S. program consists of 17 regional programs with winners announced in June.

A national winner will be announced in November.

The entrepreneur must be the CEO or president of a private or public company, who is primarily responsible for the company’s recent performance.

Companies have to have been in business for at least two years.

An independent panel of judges considers entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth, impact, and financial performance.

Companies are most competitive when they demonstrate long-term value.

Founded in 2018, Thrive Aviation increased flight hours by nearly 30% in 2024 to become the U.S’s 12^th-largest charter/fractional operator.

Edenfield said, “Being named a finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year 2025 Pacific Southwest Region is an incredible honor.”

The co-founder added, “This recognition is a testament to the relentless dedication of our team, the loyalty of our clients, and our mission to redefine private aviation.”

He continued, “We set out to build one of the most trusted on-demand private jet companies in the U.S., and this milestone affirms how far we’ve come — and how much further we intend to go.”

Thrive Aviation is a three-time Inc. 5000 company.

It has been expanding into aircraft management recently.

Last week, it joined Fly Alliance to launch a new Citation Reserve guaranteed jet card.

It uses both operators’ Textron Aviation fleets.

Angel MedFlight’s Christine Aguilera was also nominated.

Other nominees hailed from medical, manufacturing, legal, fitness, and even a brewery.