Chris Hanstad, President and CEO of FHC, was named an EY US Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 Greater Los Angeles Award winner. Hanstad was selected among 26 finalists competing for the title.
What FHC says
In a statement, FHC says the following:
"Hanstad has dedicated his career to advancing the glass and glazing industry through innovation, strategic growth, and an unwavering commitment to the customers, employees, and partners who drive the industry forward. Under his leadership, FHC has grown from a five-person operation serving customers from a single location into a nationally recognized industry leader employing more than 350 people across five locations throughout the United States. The company has expanded its global reach, strengthened its position as a leading supplier of architectural hardware and glazing solutions, and continued investing in the people and technologies shaping the future of the built environment.
Beyond business growth, Hanstad has been a steadfast advocate for the long-term health of the glass and glazing industry. Recognizing the critical importance of workforce development, he has earmarked more than $1 million to support industry education, training, and professional development initiatives designed to attract, develop, and retain the next generation of glass and glazing professionals.
The recognition reflects not only Hanstad's entrepreneurial vision, but also his deep appreciation for the thousands of professionals throughout the glass and glazing community whose expertise and hard work make the industry thrive. From fabricators and glaziers to distributors, architects, and contractors, Hanstad has championed initiatives that strengthen the industry and create opportunities for future generations."
What Hanstad says
"I am deeply honored to receive this recognition from EY," says Hanstad. "While this award bears my name, it truly belongs to the people who have helped build FHC and to the remarkable professionals who make up the glass and glazing industry. Over the years, we've grown from five employees in one location to a team of more than 350 across the country, but our success has always been rooted in people. I believe one of our greatest responsibilities as industry leaders is to invest in the future, which is why supporting education, training, and workforce development remains such an important priority for me. The future of our industry depends on the next generation of talented individuals who will continue to innovate, build, and lead."
About the EY Awards program
Now in its 41st year, the Entrepreneur Of The Year program honors business leaders for their ingenuity, courage and entrepreneurial spirit. It celebrates founders who bootstrapped their business from inception or raised outside capital to grow their company, transformational CEOs who infused innovation into an existing organization to catapult its trajectory and multigenerational family business leaders who reimagined a legacy business model to strengthen it for the future.
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.
As a Greater Los Angeles award winner, Hanstad 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. The National Overall Award winner will move on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in May 2027.
The Entrepreneur Of The Year program has recognized the leadership of entrepreneurs such as:
• Jason McGowan, Crumbl Cookies
• Reid Hoffman | Jeff Weiner, LinkedIn Corp.
• Saeju Jeong, Noom
• Allison Ellsworth | Stephen Ellsworth, Poppi
• Jitendra Mohan | Sanjay Gajendra | Casey Morrison, Astera Labs
• Shelly Ibach, Sleep Number
• Howard Schultz, Starbucks Coffee Company
• Holly Thaggard | Amanda Baldwin, Supergoop!
• Jodi L. Berg, Vita-Mix Corporation
• Michael Happe, Winnebago Industries
• Arthur Blank, Atlanta Falcons, The Home Depot, Georgia Force