MSU Student Team Wins E-Business Plan Competition

On April 16, 2008 I served on a panel of judges for the final round of the Mississippi State University 2008 E-Business Plan Competition. Four student teams were competing for financial backing to start their proposed online business. The results of this competition, co-organized by The Services Innovation Group of the MSU College of Business & Industry’s Department of Marketing, Quantitative Analysis and Business Law and the Thad Cochran Endowment for Entrepreneurship Center, was announced today in the Starkville Daily News. Teams were judged on their written business plan and a formal presentation of their concept.

The first place team, composed of Renee LaBruyere, Ivan Valdez and Annette Woods, was awarded a $5,000 grant to help bring their concept into reality. This team will also receive guidance over the summer by the Thad Cochran Endowment for Entrepreneurship Center. I have been asked to serve as a mentor during this process as well.

I was pleased to have been asked by Gerald Nelson, director of the Thad Cochran Endowment for Entrepreneurship Center, to serve as a judge and look forward to mentoring this group of talented students.