CapU teams win the Western Canadian Business Competition for the third year in a row

NORTH VANCOUVER B.C. – Both CapU’s junior and senior teams won the Western Canadian Business Competition in Kelowna, March 10 to 12, 2017. Both teams won in 2016 and the junior team won in 2015. This year, seven students also won individual awards.
 
Both teams were tasked with handling a government-forced breakup of a conglomerate. Before the competition they learned business simulation software and wrote 20-page strategic plans for submission to the judges.
 
Instructor Robert Bruce explains students quickly analyzed business data and immediately used what they’d gleaned in each of the eight rounds of the business simulation. CapU’s teams emerged with the largest cumulative profits and largest shareholder wealth. They also impressed successful business people on a board of directors in one-on-one interviews and with their presentations.

On the senior team, Alex Avis won Best CEO, Gary Guo won Best Vice-President (VP), Finance, Marissa LeSire won Best VP, Marketing and Navid Sazegar won Best VP, Human Resources. 

James Stone on the junior team won Best CEO, Harrison Cho won Best VP, Finance and Camila Stankevicius Bueno won honourable mention in the VP, Marketing category. Harrison Liu rounded out the junior team. 

“Competition was fierce this year,” says Bruce. “Given the number of individual awards, our students made a great impression on the board members.”

“Teamwork was critical to our success,” says the senior team’s CEO, Avis. 

“In a classroom setting we’re presenting in front of our peers,” says the junior team’s CEO, Stone. In the competition, learners are running a company, we’re pitching this to business professionals, so it gives you an insight of what you can expect as you go forward in the business world.” 

“Congratulations to these students who pulled together as team members, applied their analytical skills and obviously impressed the judges by communicating their ideas well,” says CapU President Paul Dangerfield. “This is the type of learning experience where our students shine.”

Bruce and business instructor Judith Watson coached students on their presentation skills before the competition, and instructors Ronald Wong and Ann Cederholm accompanied students to Kelowna. 

"The quality of teaching in our bachelor of Business Administration program and the commitment of our instructors to students’ success beyond the classroom is evident and consistent with the excellent results at the competition," says Halia Valladares, dean of the Faculty of Business and Professional Studies.

About the Western Canadian Business Competition
The Western Canadian Business Competition (WCBC) is a comprehensive undergraduate business competition where students consolidate their knowledge and skills in teams to develop strategic solutions in a simulated business scenario. WCBC provides students with lasting experiences, enhancing their strategic proficiency and business aptitude while connecting them with other future business leaders.

About Capilano University
Capilano University is a teaching-focused university based in North Vancouver, with programming serving the Sunshine Coast and the Sea-to-Sky corridor. The University offers 99 programs, including bachelor’s degrees in areas as diverse as film, jazz, early childhood education and tourism management. Capilano University enrols approximately 11,600 students each year, 8,300 in for-credit programs and 3,300 in non-credit courses. Capilano University is named after Chief Joe Capilano, an important leader of the Squamish (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh) Nation of the Coast Salish people. Our campuses are located on the territories of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh, Musqueam, Lil’wat and Sechelt (shíshálh) Nations. 

For more information, or to schedule interviews, please contact: 

Cheryl Rossi
Senior Communications Advisor
Capilano University
t: 604 983 7596
c: 778 879 7119
e: cherylrossi@capilanou.ca
www.capilanou.ca