SALISBURY, MD.— Melissa Drew, Founder and CEO of InSite BUILD was named an EY US Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2026 Mid-Atlantic Award winner. Melissa was selected among nearly 1000 program participants that included 592 finalists across 17 regions competing for the title.
Melissa Drew is the Founder and CEO of InSite BUILD, a Maryland-based general contracting firm specializing in state government projects. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience delivering high-stakes projects, Melissa brings institutional-level expertise to every stage of a build. As a female founder in a traditionally male-dominated industry, Melissa’s mission is to redefine how large-scale construction projects are led by focusing on disciplined planning, true collaboration, and long-term outcomes that serve owners, subcontractors, and communities alike.
“Receiving this award is incredibly meaningful to me,” said Melissa Drew. “Becoming part of the EY community has been career-changing. It has challenged me to think bigger and given me greater confidence in what we are building at InSite BUILD. Starting this company was the biggest professional leap I have ever taken, and I am incredibly proud of what our team has accomplished. This recognition reinforces my belief that I am exactly where I am meant to be, and I am excited about what lies ahead.”
Now in its 41st year, the Entrepreneur Of The Year program honors business leaders for their ingenuity, courage and entrepreneurial spirit. It celebrates original 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 Mid-Atlantic award winner, Melissa 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.
About Entrepreneur Of The Year
Founded in 1986, Entrepreneur Of The Year® has celebrated more than 11,000 ambitious visionaries who are leading successful, dynamic businesses in the US, and it has since expanded to nearly 60 countries and territories globally.
The US program consists of 17 regional programs whose panels of independent judges select the regional award winners every June. Those winners compete for national recognition at the Strategic Growth Forum® in November where national finalists and award winners are announced. The national overall winner represents the US at the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ competition. Visit ey.com/us/eoy.
About InSite BUILD
InSite BUILD is a woman-owned general contracting firm based in Maryland, specializing in complex public-sector, government, institutional, higher education, and commercial projects. With expertise in planning, coordination, and project execution, InSite BUILD delivers high-stakes projects through disciplined leadership, transparent communication, and partnership-driven project management. The firm leads construction projects with foresight, accountability, and long-term partnerships, creating successful outcomes for clients and the communities they serve. To learn more visit www.insite-build.com.
