K-State at Salina's students in free enterprise team takes third place in regional case study competition

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Source: Kathy Brockway, 785-826-2695, kjbrock@salina.k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Katie Mayes, 785-826-2642, kmayes@salina.k-state.edu

Monday, December 18, 2006

K-STATE AT SALINA'S STUDENTS IN FREE ENTERPRISE TEAM TAKES THIRD PLACE IN REGIONAL CASE STUDY COMPETITION

MANHATTAN -- Kansas State University at Salina's chapter of Students in Free Enterprise kicked off its third year by beating out more than a dozen other schools for third place in the recent Walgreen's Wrangle I competition at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, Ark.

The case study competition, Nov. 9-11, was host to 16 Students in Free Enterprise teams from the south-central region. The teams were divided into four leagues, with the league winners -- of which K-State at Salina was one -- then competing against each other.

The K-State at Salina team received an $800 cash prize for finishing third. The team also was recognized with the Spirit Award -- the only other honor presented outside of the rankings themselves. The award is a traveling trophy and students will have the opportunity to add something to it from K-State at Salina.

"I was so proud of how our team members worked together to generate a solution to the case. It was a great opportunity for the students to learn the importance of team work and to experience the struggles that teams can sometimes face," said Kathy Brockway, assistant professor of arts, sciences and business and the team's co-adviser.

The team's other co-adviser is Fred Guzek, also an assistant professor of arts, sciences and business at K-State at Salina.

This year's entrepreneurship case focused on the Southern Aluminum Company, a manufacturer of commercial grade furniture in Magnolia. Students were asked to create a marketing plan to sell banquet tables to the hotel market.

The marketing plan for K-State at Salina's Students in Free Enterprise team included four recommendations, the first of which was to de-emphasize the word "aluminum" in the company's name. Brockway said that the team's research revealed that people perceive the material to be cheep and flimsy. The team also suggested the company make its Web site more user-friendly, stress its lifetime guarantee and emphasize the company's environmentally friendly policies. Brockway said the environment is a hot topic in the hotel industry today.

Brandon Nemechek, senior in mechanical engineering technology, Goodland, and a member of the K-State at Saline Students in Free Enterprise team, said the experience was a real life lesson in how valuable it is to work together under pressure.

Nemechek said that the night before they were set to present their case, their computer crashed, taking the team's presentation. That meant they had to stay up late and redo every single detail.

"We just kept joking about stuff and rolling with the punches … and everything seemed to come out well," he said. "And that is exactly what they'd have to do in the real business world."

Other members of K-State at Salina's Students in Free Enterprise team include: Matt Torrey, sophomore in engineering technology, Axtell; Stacey Lee, senior in professional pilot, Dwight; Katie Cooper, senior in management, Minneapolis; Jen Augustine, junior in applied business, and Robert Graham, freshman in engineering technology, both of Salina; and Keith Livingston, sophomore in engineering technology, Spring Hill.

This year's third-place finish in the case study competition comes on the heels of a regional championship in the last academic year. K-State at Salina's 2005-2006 Students in Free Enterprise team went on to finish in the opening round of the national competition in May 2006.