Kenneth Kelly has been announced as a finalist for Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year award in the Michigan and Northwest Ohio region.

Chairman and CEO of First Independence Bank, a Black-owned FDIC in Detroit, Kelly has led the bank to growth, including expansion into Minnesota. It represented the first time a Black-owned bank established offices in the state.

“It is such a tremendous honour and privilege to be recognized as a 2023 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year finalist in the Michigan and Northwest Ohio region,” Kelly said in a statement. “This is a testament to the work that our dedicated First Independence team is conducting day-to-day to implement the bank's vision. We are grateful to all our stakeholders whose work developed the foundation for our current growth to impact lives in Michigan and Minnesota.”

Kelly’s current roles include being a director of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis, a director of the National Bankers Association, a director of the American Bankers Association, and a director of the Michigan Bankers Association.

He was appointed by the chairman of the FDIC to serve a three-year term on the FDIC Advisory Committee on Economic Inclusion in 2022. From 2018-2020, he served on the Federal Reserve Community Depository Institutional Advisory Committee.

And in 2021, he was listed as Crain's Most Notable Leader in Diversity, a statement reads.

Regional winners from the EY Entrepreneur of the Year awards will be announced on June 21.