Spring Break
CEO contest success
Students present business plans to prestigious judges
Allison Goebel
Issue date: 5/13/09 Section: Lifestyle
Five thousand dollars were at stake at the CEO Business Plan Contest on May 6, with five teams dressed in their finest business attire set up at their stations and mentally prepared for their presentations.
The CEO Business Plan Contest is a complex competition sponsored by the College of Business and Economics and put together by the Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization.
"The CEO was a new organization in the spring of 2007 and we wanted to raise awareness of the entrepreneur program," said junior Emily Kartheiser, president of CEO. "This contest has been a great way to promote our organization."
The five team finalists had to make it through multiple rounds in order to present their business plan to prestigious judges.
"For the first round, all that was required was an abstract of an idea written in 250 words, and the second round comprised of writing a 750-1,000 word executive summary," adviser William Dougan said.
In the end only eight teams out of approximately sixty made it to the third round.
"In the third round the eight teams who were selected had to create an entire business plan similar to the business plans created in an actual business community," Dougan said.
After the presentations were given and interaction with the judges, the results were in.
"The judges evaluated the speakers based on whether or not their plan was feasible," Dougan said.
In the end the contest was a success.
"The contest went extremely well," Kartheiser said. "Sophomore Tony Gierczak, who was in charge of operating the contest worked really hard for months. As for the contestants, the submissions for this year were very unique, and it was clear that they put a lot of work into their business plans."
Judge Laurie Benson was pleased with the idea of the CEO Business Plan Contest and all of its benefits for students.
"My passion is entrepreneurship. I care about the next generation, and I like knowing I gave them ideas to realize their potential," Benson said.
The CEO Business Plan Contest is a complex competition sponsored by the College of Business and Economics and put together by the Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization.
"The CEO was a new organization in the spring of 2007 and we wanted to raise awareness of the entrepreneur program," said junior Emily Kartheiser, president of CEO. "This contest has been a great way to promote our organization."
The five team finalists had to make it through multiple rounds in order to present their business plan to prestigious judges.
"For the first round, all that was required was an abstract of an idea written in 250 words, and the second round comprised of writing a 750-1,000 word executive summary," adviser William Dougan said.
In the end only eight teams out of approximately sixty made it to the third round.
"In the third round the eight teams who were selected had to create an entire business plan similar to the business plans created in an actual business community," Dougan said.
After the presentations were given and interaction with the judges, the results were in.
"The judges evaluated the speakers based on whether or not their plan was feasible," Dougan said.
In the end the contest was a success.
"The contest went extremely well," Kartheiser said. "Sophomore Tony Gierczak, who was in charge of operating the contest worked really hard for months. As for the contestants, the submissions for this year were very unique, and it was clear that they put a lot of work into their business plans."
Judge Laurie Benson was pleased with the idea of the CEO Business Plan Contest and all of its benefits for students.
"My passion is entrepreneurship. I care about the next generation, and I like knowing I gave them ideas to realize their potential," Benson said.
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