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If you have further questions please contact Larae Hackney: Phone: 406-243-4830 Platinum Sponsors ($2,500+): City Brew Coffee George C. Dodge Foundation Huse Law Office, P.C. Pyron Technologies Jeff Shay-Poe Professor Surgical Principles, Inc. Ken & Carol Thuerbach University of Montana Office of the President Gold Sponsors ($1,000+): Allied Waste Systems Anderson ZurMuehlen Bank of Montana Big Sky Brewing Company Broadway Inn Campus Inn First Security Bank of Missoula Frontier Angel Fund Glacier Venture Fund - John Marchi Governor's Office of Economic Development Hilton Garden Inn Missoula Federal Credit Union Montana Board of Investments Mountain West Bank NorthWestern Energy
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| 2006 John Ruffatto Business Plan Competition |
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Over 250 business professionals and community members attended the event on May 11, 2006. Click here to watch the Awards Presentation. The 17th Annual John Ruffatto Business Plan Competition soared to new heights this year as competitors took home nearly $30,000 in prize money, surpassing last year’s prize purse by $20,000. This year twenty-two teams representing six campuses across the state submitted plans and fifteen were selected by a team of judges for he semifinal round held the morning of May 11th at the School of Business Administration. Ten of the teams were assigned to the High Growth Potential Division while the remaining five teams competed in the Lifestyle Business Division. Twenty-seven distinguished judges, including venture capitalists, bankers, successful entrepreneurs, angel investors, and corporate leaders were on hand for the thirteen-hour marathon session to determine the winners.
Jason Ludeman, SoBA MBA student, impressed the judges and took first place honors in the Lifestyle Business Division with his plan for Action Grain Marketing. In the Final Round of the High Growth Potential Division, Kalen Caughey, a student from MSU-Bozeman, faced stiff competition for his Guarana Energia plan and finished a respectable third place against two strong UM-SoBA MBA teams. Determining the overall winner was a bit more difficult. With the judges deadlocked at 11 to 11 for each of the two teams, they declared a tie between Thin Air Technologies (Cristine Folz, David Owenby, and Cameron Deautch) and White River Brewing Company (Christin Foley and Chris Corbin). Then the judges did something even more remarkable. They decided to dip into their own wallets and come up with an additional $7,000 to provide a full $10,000 first place prize to each of the teams that tied for first. Dr. Jeff Shay, competition director, commented: “This has been a great day! We’ve had great plans, a fantastic group of judges, and the community and sponsor support of this competition has been phenomenal this year.” In the days that have followed the competition, Dr. Shay notes that all of the finalist teams and at least five other teams from the final round have been contacted by investors and other interested parties who are offering their support to the students to help launch their new ventures. “This is what the competition is all about." Read the Missoulian's press coverage of the event For Questions Call (406) 531-8307
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