Strategic and Global Management Students at SUNY Potsdam Take Home Prize in College Competition
Winners (front row) and judges (back row) posed for a photo after the 57th Business Plan Competition at SUNY Potsdam. Clockwise, from top left: Kickie Britt, Lauren Bruce, Christa Haifley, Tyler Lisieski, Susan Portugal, Mary Lynn Smith, Chris Stevenson, Erik Shanahan, Leah Rink, Michael McArthur, Marley Hawthorne and Connor Green.
SUNY Potsdam’s Department of Business Administration recently hosted its 57th Business Plan Competition, which challenges students to develop an entrepreneurial business plan fulfilling the need of a specific group of consumers.
Six teams in the capstone Strategic and Global Management class spent the fall semester developing a business plan and original product pitch, starting from scratch. The competition was introduced in 1993 by Professor Dr. Edwin J. Portugal to give business administration students the opportunity to work intensively and collaboratively in teams to create a real-life business plan. The teams present their final strategic business plans in front of external judges, who take the role of venture capitalists.
“Students experience the stimulation of working in teams, the exhilaration of innovative thinking, the excitement of public speaking, and the challenges of coordinating team members’ unique talents,” said Dr. Portugal.
The winning team included:
-
Connor Green ’23 of New Port Ritchie, FL
-
Marley Hawthorne ’25 of Saratoga Springs, NY
-
Michael McArthur ’23 of London, ON
-
Leah Rink ’22 of Watertown, NY
-
Erik Shanahan ’22 of Camillus, NY
The winning group (nicknamed “Team Ever-Evolving Elite Entrepreneurs”) presented an entrepreneurial business plan for a unique product that withstands the everyday wear and tear of clothing, by reducing ripping and tearing when applied on clothing that rubs against other fabrics.
"The competition was an incredible, unforgettable experience for my fellow team members and myself. It not only encouraged us to collaborate and think critically about key business operations, but it also provided us with an opportunity to grow as emerging business professionals,” said Marley Hawthorne, who was the winning team’s project manager. “Achieving the first-place title of the competition was not an easy task, with five other qualified teams presenting, but our ability to brand our product and provide realistic marketing materials supplied our team with a competitive edge. This event was certainly one of the highlights of being a business administration student at Potsdam, and one that I believe my team members and I will cherish for a long time.”
Other teams’ product ideas included a water filtration system built into a backpack, lumbar pack with built-in safety features, a multi-dog leash for professional dog walkers, a posture corrector for walkers, and a winter cap with built-in pocket for earphones.
“As someone who struggles with social anxiety and public speaking, I knew that I had to push myself out of my comfort zone and rise to the occasion,” said Leah Rink, who was the idea champion for the winning business proposal. “When our team was announced as the winner of the 57th Business Competition, I was relieved that all our hard work this semester had paid off. This is my senior year, and winning the competition was the perfect way to end my Potsdam journey. From this experience, I have strengthened my public speaking skills and challenged myself to step out of my comfort zone.”
The winners of the 57th Business Plan Competition at SUNY Potsdam posed with Professor Dr. Edwin J. Portugal. From left, Michael McArthur ’23, Erik Shanahan ’22, Dr. Portugal, Leah Rink ’22, Marley Hawthorne ’25 and Connor Green ’23.
The teams’ plans integrated the students’ understanding of the business functional areas of accounting, finance, management, marketing, information systems, legal environment, human resource management and operations management.
External judges were invited to evaluate the business proposals and listen to the pitches. The invited judges were SUNY Potsdam Bears Women’s Lacrosse Coach and Assistant Athletic Director Lauren Bruce, Crane Institute for Music Business Professor Emerita Carol “Kickie” Holloway Britt ’69 & ’74, Pfizer Pharmaceutical Corp. Senior Scientist Susan Portugal, retired Office of the Provost Assistant Mary Lynn Smith, Rivers Septic Service Founder Chris Stevenson, Associate Professor of Business Administration Dr. Christa Haifley and student judge Tyler Lisieski ’24, a mathematics major and defenseman for the Potsdam Bears Men’s Ice Hockey team.
SUNY Potsdam’s Department of Business Administration offers flexible bachelor’s and master’s degrees in competitive fields, and provides students with an understanding of how for-profit and non-profit organizations function efficiently and effectively in the global marketplace. The College offers its undergraduate business administration program both at the Potsdam campus and in Watertown, N.Y., at Jefferson Community College. Its Master of Science program in management is offered 100 percent online, to serve graduate students around the world. For more information, visit http://www.potsdam.edu/academics/SOEPS/BusinessAdmin.
About SUNY Potsdam:
Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America’s first 50 colleges—and the oldest institution within SUNY. Now in its third century, SUNY Potsdam is distinguished by a legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its challenging liberal arts and sciences core, distinction in teacher training and culture of creativity. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu.