Gary Kooner wins EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 Bay Area award

Kooner Fleet Management Solutions CEO Gary Kooner has been named an EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 Bay Area Award Winner, putting his fleet maintenance business on a path to the national competition in November. The recognition highlights Kooner FMS’s growth from a single-truck service to a fast-growing North American operator as the company expands abroad and adds new technology. Why it matters: - Gary Kooner’s EY award puts Kooner Fleet Management Solutions in the spotlight as the company expands beyond its core fleet maintenance business. - The recognition can raise the profile of Kooner FMS with customers, partners and investors ahead of the national EY competition in November. - The award also underscores the growing role of on-site maintenance, mobile repair and fleet technology in reducing downtime for transportation operators. What happened: - EY named Gary Kooner, founder and CEO of Kooner Fleet Management Solutions, an Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 Bay Area Award Winner. - Kooner received the honor at the Bay Area awards celebration on June 12 in San Jose, California. - Kooner now advances to the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards, which will be presented in November at the annual Strategic Growth Forum. - The Bay Area class also included founders of Ōura and Thumbtack. The details: - EY’s Entrepreneur Of The Year program recognizes leaders of high-growth companies that create long-term value for customers, employees and communities. - An independent panel of judges selected Kooner for entrepreneurial vision, industry impact and leadership. - Kooner FMS grew from a one-truck regional service provider into one of North America’s fastest-growing fleet maintenance organizations. - Kooner started as an industry-trained diesel mechanic before building the company. - The company provides on-site fleet management, preventative maintenance, mobile repair and last-mile maintenance solutions. - Kooner FMS says it serves transportation companies of all sizes and aims to optimize fleet health, reduce downtime and improve performance. - The company also says its services help fleets operate safer, more efficiently and with greater confidence. - Kooner FMS has expanded internationally into the UK. - The company added technology capabilities through FleetIQ. - Kooner FMS was included on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies. - The company describes itself as a leading provider of comprehensive on-site fleet management and mobile fleet services. - The company’s social accounts listed in the release include LinkedIn , Instagram , Facebook , YouTube , TikTok and X . Between the lines: - The award signals validation for a founder-led business that has leaned on field expertise and technology to scale. - Kooner’s path from diesel mechanic to award winner fits EY’s focus on operators who combine growth with operational execution. - The company’s expansion into the UK and investment in FleetIQ suggest Kooner FMS is positioning itself as more than a local maintenance provider. What’s next: - Kooner will compete for the national EY Entrepreneur Of The Year award in November. - Kooner FMS will likely use the recognition to support continued expansion and customer growth. - The company says it will keep focusing on innovation, customer satisfaction and operational excellence. The bottom line: - EY’s honor gives Kooner FMS a marquee endorsement at a moment when the company is scaling its fleet services footprint and technology stack.