Sequoia Waste Solutions Co-Founder Wins EO's Global Student Entrepreneur Awards' D.C. Regional Competition

WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwired - Sep 20, 2013) - The Entrepreneurs' Organization today announced the winner of the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards' regional competition in Washington D.C., Charlie Dolan, from Villanova University. The EO Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) is the premier global competition honoring the top high school, college and graduate students who have founded and are running revenue-generating businesses.

Dolan's Pittsburgh-based company, Sequoia Waste Solutions, is a two-year-old waste management recycling company for small and mid-sized businesses. The 21-year-old senior will go on to compete for the title of Global Student Entrepreneur of the Year at the Global Finals in D.C., from November 20-22, 2013.

"Just to be in the running with amazing young entrepreneurs from around the world is an honor," said Charlie Dolan, CTO and co-founder of Sequoia Waste Solutions. "My team and I have worked so hard in building this business and I look forward to connecting and competing with the world's best and brightest at this year's Global Finals."

Sequoia Waste Solutions built proprietary technology that helps its 175 clients in 15 states efficiently manage their recycling and trash services. Dolan and his good friend from high school founded the company while they were both working for a private equity firm in D.C. Sequoia's customers, primarily restaurants, educational facilities and corporate offices, typically save between 5-15% annually on their trash and recycling costs by using Dolan's firm. Sequoia is slated to surpass $5 million in revenue this year.  

Dolan competed against three other regional finalists in order to advance to the next round. His competition included Scott Block of VentureBoard, Steven Reubenstone of Collaborizm, and Thomas Brady of Moolaguides.com. Each contestant had 10-15 minutes to pitch his business to a panel of judges including the Co-Founder, President and TeaEO of Honest Tea, Seth Goldman.

"We've had a great pool of contestants this year," said Derrick Jackson, GSEA D.C. Regional Director. "Dolan's success while still in school is an inspiration to aspiring entrepreneurs of any age. The Entrepreneurs' Organization is here to support Sequoia's growth along the way. Each year, we see an increasing number of talented, successful student entrepreneurs vying for The Global Student Entrepreneur of the Year title. This tells us that students are really getting the message and more resources are being made available for them to take their employment destiny into their own hands."

About the Entrepreneurs' Organization's Global Student Entrepreneur Awards
As the premier global competition for high school, undergraduate and graduate students, the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) represents more than 1,700 of the prominent student entrepreneurs from more than 32 countries. Built on a mission to inspire students to start and grow entrepreneurial ventures, GSEA brings global visibility to pioneering student business owners. Since 1998, the GSEA, a program founded at the John Cook School of Business at Saint Louis University, has honored outstanding students who simultaneously attend university full-time while running their own businesses. The Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) took on leadership of the GSEA in 2006 to offer student entrepreneurs access to a global network of mentors, resources and connections from the most influential community of entrepreneurs in the world. The Entrepreneurs' Organization's GSEA is generously supported by Thomas Franchise Solutions and The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. To nominate a student entrepreneur or to get involved, go to www.gsea.org  and follow GSEA on Twitter at @GSEACompetition.

About the Entrepreneurs' Organization
The Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) is a global business network of more than 9,500 business owners in 131 chapters and 40 countries. Founded in 1987 by a group of young entrepreneurs, EO enables small and large business owners to learn from each other, leading to greater business success and an enriched personal life. The organization's vision is to build the world's most influential community of entrepreneurs, which aligns with its mission of supporting entrepreneurial education and engaging entrepreneurs to learn and grow.

The Entrepreneurs' Organization also operates the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA), the premier award program for high school, undergraduate and graduate students that own and run businesses while attending college or university; and Accelerator, a series of quarterly, high-impact learning events designed to provide top business owners with the tools, knowledge and skills they need to grow their businesses to more than US$1 million in annual revenue.