Team photo of VLS Environmental Solutions and CEO and President John Magee at EY Entrepreneur of the Year award ceremony holding 2026 Gulf South Award.


John Magee of VLS Environmental Solutions was named an EY US Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 Gulf South Award winner.

Now in its 41st year, the Entrepreneur Of The Year program honors business leaders for their ingenuity, courage, and entrepreneurial spirit. Regional winners were 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.

Since joining VLS in 2020 as CEO and President, Magee has led a period of tremendous transformational growth, expanding the company to over 50 locations and 1,500 employees across North America. Under his leadership, VLS has completed twelve strategic acquisitions, expanded operations into Mexico, achieved more than 200 percent growth, and maintained an industry-leading safety record.

Prior to VLS, Magee co-founded and served as President and CEO of Crane Worldwide Logistics, growing the company from startup to nearly $1 billion in annual revenue, with operations spanning more than 30 countries and 2,200 employees.

"I am an entrepreneur at heart—what energizes me is that constant pursuit of learning in service of building something great," Magee says. "I've always believed you can have a grand vision and still be humble enough to know you don't have all the answers, which is why I surround myself with the smartest people I can find. Whether I'm founding a company from scratch, as I did with Crane Worldwide in 2008, or stepping in as a transformational leader, as I have at VLS, the focus is the same: Question conventional wisdom, empower people to lead, and hold each other truly accountable."

A recognized business leader, Magee was named EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2014 Gulf Coast Area in the Manufacturing and Distribution category and is a member of the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO). He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of North Texas, where he served on the board of the Center for Logistics and Supply Chain Management.

As a 2026 Gulf South award winner, John will now be considered by the national judges for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 National Awards, which will be presented in November at the annual Strategic Growth Forum, where high-growth CEOs, Fortune 1000 executives, and investors converge to shape the future of business. The National Overall Award winner will move on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in May 2027.