EY today announced that CEO Joshua Robertson of E-Mist Innovations is a finalist for the Entrepreneur Of The Year© 2017 Award in the Southwest region. The awards program, which is celebrating its 31st year, recognizes entrepreneurs who are excelling in areas such as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Mr. Robertson was selected as a finalist by a panel of independent judges. Award winners will be announced at a special gala event on Saturday, June 24, 2017 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas.

As if you needed more proof that we are knee deep in flu season, Texas is now one of the states where activity is high, the worst category to be in.

So far this season, 29 children across the country have died from the flu. The current vaccine has been shown to work about half the time.

Hospitals like John Peter Smith Hospital are seeing a steady rise in flu cases.

The Tarrant County Health Department says the flu is widespread and happening more than average for this time of year.

The Azle Independent School District the first district in the country to use a misting technique aimed at stopping the spread of the flu and keeping students and staff healthier.

Director of District Operations Todd Smith says an e-mist machine was purchased for all 11 campuses in the school district.

The disinfectant will be sprayed in empty classrooms, the bus barn and athletic facilities on a weekly basis to begin.

Azle Independent School District is the first school district in the country to have a new flu-fighting machine.

It looks like a ghostbusters backpack, but it’s actually an E-Mist portable electrostatic machine aimed to prevent the viruses from spreading.

It sprays a disinfectant on touchable surfaces.

Azle spent about $60,000 on the units, which were invented in Texas.

E-Mist announced today that InfectionControl.tips (ICT), an internationally recognized Pan-Access collective, has selected the company as a Top Innovation of the Year. ICT is dedicated to infection control and prevention and actively publishes peer-reviewed research articles and perspective pieces focused on the topics of infection control and prevention.

ICT selected E-Mist on the basis of exceptional innovation. The highly sought after awards, which are given out annually, are based on innovation and breakthrough technology.

As a revolutionary electrostatic disinfectant application system that delivers safer surfaces, lowers costs and keeps people healthier, E-Mist Innovations is launching the BackPack System – a new, mobile cordless electrostatic application system.

“The BackPack System is revolutionizing the disinfection process,” said George Robertson, chairman and CEO, E-Mist. “We strive to save companies money, but at the end of the day it’s about keeping people healthy. Early reports from the field are indicating that the BackPack System is more efficient than previous solutions. They are able to cover more than 100,000 sq. ft. in one hour. This means that less labor is needed because the job can get done faster. And, less chemicals are required – a benefit shared by all of E-Mist’s products because of our technology.”

It has been a year since the Ebola crisis hit Dallas and thrust little-known Fort Worth startup E-Mist Innovations into the national spotlight.

The company, launched with help from the Tech Fort Worth business incubator, had just come to market with a new electrostatically charged sprayer gun to disinfect surfaces and was in the right place at the right time. Images of the company’s product being used at the apartment of Ebola victim Thomas Duncan made national news, and sales took off.

Industry leading infection prevention and control device developer E-Mist Innovations today announces the certification of Care Nursing & Rehabilitation, 200 County Road 616 in Early, as Touch Point Healthy. George Robertson, Chairman & CEO at E-Mist Innovations, states, “Touch Point Healthy Certified public spaces marks an important step towards a higher standard of public health.” E-Mist Innovations will present a plaque to the facility later this month. Forty-eight facilities across Texas will soon be Touch Point Healthy Certified. 

George Robertson was getting bored in retirement.

After starting over 20 businesses in the restaurant, retail and health care fields, the former president and CEO of medical equipment company National HME planned to settle down and spend time with family. But soon, his restlessness prompted him to join the angel investor group Cowtown Angels in 2013.

The group soon asked Robertson to become the CEO of E-Mist Innovations, and in 2014 he took over the business. The company’s disinfecting product, the Touch Point Healthy Infection Control System, would later be used to spray Ebola patient Nina Pham’s apartment in 2014. In July 2015, the company announced that it would partner with the African nation of Guinea in a $9 million project to fight Ebola.

A device that decontaminates surfaces exposed to Ebola, dubbed the ‘Ebola Fighter,’ is used to contain the virus’ spread.