Capstone Cup 2016-2017

CAPSTONE CUP ANNUAL REPORT

2016–2017

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THE CAPSTONE CUP COMPETITION IN BRIEF During the Capstone Cup, teams of undergraduate business students have one week to digest a complex business situation, develop a creative and practical solution, and build a presentation that communicates their analyses and recommendations to a panel of judges comprised of faculty, business community members, and alumni.

Critical thinking permeates every part of the competition.

The teams compete in three rounds of a tournament-style competition. Every College of Business Administration student enrolled in an on-campus section of the undergraduate capstone strategy course (Corporate & Business Strategy) participates in this competition, impacting over 300 students each year (approximately 150 students each semester).

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A UNIQUE CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE The CAPSTONE CUP is a semester-long competition comprised of a kickoff event and three rounds of competition. The CAPSTONE CUP was born at UNO CBA, and is unique to our school and our identity as a metropolitan university focused on preparing our students for future success.

KICKOFF EVENT

ROUND ONE

ROUND TWO

FINALS

All students attend Professional development workshops Capstone Cup information

All teams Five presentation rooms 20 judges

16–20 teams Four rooms 8–10 judges

Four teams Three judges Open to public

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ABOUT THE PARTICIPANTS*

CAPSTONE CUP 5

BY NUMBERS 749

*our graduating CBA students

40% 30% 7%

competitions since 2015 participants since 2015

of participants are female of participants are international students of participants are active military, veterans, or military dependent students

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TOTALS

Fall 2016

Spring 2017

111 students 26 teams 39 judges

156 students 37 teams 32 judges

FACULTY Dr. Erin Bass | Dr. Brent Clark | Dr. Leif Lundmark | Dr. Erin Pleggenkuhle-Miles

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WHAT STUDENTS SOLVE Complex and practical cases are used throughout the competition so students can get a glimpse of what strategic issues they will encounter later in their career and utilize what they learn during their undergraduate business curriculum to solve current, real-world issues.

FALL 2016 CASES

SPRING 2017 CASES

Fitbit

Mobiado

Operating in a highly competitive industry with many bigname and cash-rich competitors, Fitbit is at a critical point where a crucial strategic decision needs to be made in order to stay competitive.

Mobiado has an intense fight on its hands to stay differentiated and competitive in a lucrative but small market against deeper-pocketed rivals. What would you do as consultants to help the brand?

Numenta

Target

As a young startup in Silicon Valley, Numenta specializes in building intelligent computers that can think like humans.

Numenta must protect its intellectual resources to pre-empt the competition.

The iconic store chain needs help with the critical issue of dwindling foot traffic and decreasing revenue as more consumers head to online channels to shop. What is the best strategic direction for this retailer to take?

Best Buy

Stage Stores

As one of the most popular consumer electronics brands in the U.S., Best Buy faces intense competition from Walmart and Amazon while having to keep prices on par with others.

What should they do?

As an everyday low-price retailer, Stage Stores is facing increasing competition from brick-and-mortar, big box, and online retailers. Following its acquisition of Omaha-based Gordmans, how should Stage Stores position itself for future success? Is growth possible?

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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 2016–2017 judges from the local business community

Fall 2016 Judges Erik Bird – Eat Fit Go Anna Brinkman – Northwestern Mutual Bill Conley – Vice Chancellor, UNO Randy Hawthorne – Nonprofit Hub Dan Hebenstreit – Renaissance Financial Corp Adrian Hernandez – VP at Dundee Bank James Hofstetter – Lincoln Financial Group David Hospodka – Union Pacific Jessica McCormick – BCBS Nebraska Todd McMartin – Sherwin Williams Shovna Tripathy – Tigerpaw Software Parker Thornton – Yahoo!

Randy Veik – OPPD

Spring 2017 Judges Shelly Blakeman – Lincoln Financial Group Keith Fix – blabfeed Jimmy Harding – US Army Corps of Engineers Rod Kropp – First Data Amanda Lustgraaf – Midtown Crossing Sarah Peers – First Data Bill Shultz – Bank of the West Ben Soliev – Valmont Alina Topala-Lanoha – First National Bank Erich Ziegler – CFO Systems, LLC John Zurn – Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group

Alumni Judges Michael Austin | Kerry Pivovar | David Holst | Travis Cole | Josh Pohl | Sarah Gaeta | Miles Russell Monica Bosiljevac | Alyssa Peterson | Innocent Nikiema | Lauren Harris | Nicodemus Ondego Donell Brown | Rachel Miles | Erik Anderson | Krystal Fessler | Ryan Lundeen | Haley Shelton Jeremy Wertzberger | Joshua Pohl | Jason Graham | Heatherly Howard

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WHAT THE STUDENTS SAY During my tenure at UNO and more specifically in the College of Business, I had the pleasure of having wonderful teachers who always wanted to push their students to their full potential. With that in mind, the case study competition…does an exceptional job integrating all aspects of the curriculum into a competitive, fun learning experience for the students…I hope UNO continues the case study competition and even expands on the concept.

As of right now, I am entry-level and just got promoted!

I hope to analyze my very saturated industry. Every day I ask myself, “How does my company differentiate from its big competitors?” It definitely helped me become more confident. Thank you so much for asking me to judge. I love CBA. It’s where I learned so much. I will always help out with anything that involves the UNO CBA! JOSHUA POHL

JAKE EVANS

The feedback was invaluable. We learned what worked, what didn’t and what we needed to improve on for next time. I took away speaking and presentation experience that I was able to bring with me into job interviews and job presentations that I use in the office today.

KERRY PIVOVAR

It gave me a great understanding of how to take marketing, finance, management, etc. and apply them into actually making a business successful…it forces students to think about big-picture business operations rather than day-to-day functions.

HALEY SHELTON

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Over the years, we have been honored and pleased to partner with businesses and professionals across Omaha.

Invaluable support has come in either prize sponsorship, distinguished judges or precious input. Without our generous partners, the Capstone Cup wouldn’t have been brought to life. In return for their contributions, valued partners are recognized through messages on our media channels and have an opportunity to access the best talent that UNO CBA has to offer.

For sponsorship opportunities, contact: Dr. Erin Pleggenkuhle-Miles erinpmiles@unomaha.edu

WE VALUE YOUR CONTRIBUTION

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2016–2017 CAPSTONE CUP PARTICIPANTS Aaron Earl Aaron Estrada Aaron Fredrickson AbdulKarim Safi Abigail Zimmerer Adrian Allard Afaar Alkahtany Afi Eklo Afnan Alghamdi Alex Barbe Alex Smith Alex Sweeney Alexander Jacobs Alexandra Stuard Alexia Holcomb Allison Flegle Alyc Beasley Amanda Kriener Amy Curran Andrea Vavra Andrew Smutzer Andrew Tallman Angel Loza

Anita Jaimes Anna Banwell Anthony Figueroa Anthony Rutjes Arielle Sullivan Ashley Fisher Austin Ayala Austin Braun Austin Hanke Austin Schmidt Austin Severson Autym Malcom Bach Mai Ben Goscha Benjamin Gilsdorf Benjamin Stohlman Bikash Adhikari Blake Cherny Brent Mac Brian Kosiski Bridget Brich Brock Castinado Brooke Nielsen

Brooke Wees Caleb Krejci Caleb Timm Calvin Custard Carl Meyer Carson Cederberg Carter Purdy Cathleen Cox Cesar Meza Chase Stuhr Chelsea Vorland Chelsea Acosta Chelsie Topliff Christian Kennedy Christine Fryer Christopher Murphy Cinda Quass Cody Holden-Fritz Cody Wnuk Cody Smith Cole Ferrell Cole Anderson Colin Siert

Colleen Bone Colten Lehman Connor Mosman Courtney Buman Daniel Hawk Daniel Kemp David Fray DeAndre Brinkley Delaney McSharry Denise Holder Derek Couch Derek Hofeling Derrick Broekemier DEvin Engel DeVon Billups Dilfuza Gafurova Dillon Sass Dilon Moore Di-Ren Chen Duarte Sandoval Dylan Blankenship Edward McMorrow Elisabeth Barnhart

Eliseo Orozco Jr Elizabeth Brinkman Emilie Pechacek Emily Le Eric Piper Eric Blake Etta Morton Evan Bloemer Forrest Solon Fujehat Ara Gabriela Sandoval Gabrielle Flott Garrett Hansen Gatien BimpoloMaouene Gilbertine Nyonzima Gutierrez Orozco Hannah Jacoby Hannah Olson Hassan Almatrood Hunter Fangmeyer Ismael Pascual Jacob Hall

Jacob Jenson Jacob Lerum Jacob Williams Jacob Wilson Jacqueline Kasuske Jacy Judds Jade Jensen Jalynn Larsen James Rathjen Jamie Glenn Jared Rieger Jarodd Butler Jason Peck Jen Palo Jenn Ulrich Jeremy Short Jess Gilham Jessica Hansen Jessica Stednitz Jiajing Zhou Joe Hagerty John Murray John Roberts

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John Ybay Johnny Kline Jr Jordan Kann Jose Valdes Joseph Ghitis Joseph Krause Joseph Perkumas Josh Lundell Josh Wohleb Joshua Lundholm Justin Korth Justin Parizek Justin Wendt Kailee Vencil Kaleb Tietz Kameron Williams Karen Harder Katarina Schulte Kate Lehigh Kawthar Al Balushi Kelsey Stinn Kodjo Agboh Kortnie Eckstrom

Kyle Bierman Lauren Harris Ledesma Avalos Li Liu Lixin Tan Logan Deckard Logan McLaughlin Lovelyn Wright Luke Edwards Mackenzie Paczosa Madeline Newstrom Madeline Peterson Marcus Taylor Margaret Kaburu Marissa Baxter Mark Moulton Jr Mary Wehr Matt Van Ormer Matthew Miller Matthew Koley Matthew Nulty Matthew Smith Megan Thiemann

Melinda Schmidt Mercedes Wiese Michael Ebeling Michael Foral Ming Cao Miranda Carpenter Mitchell Holt Mitchell Laferla Mitchell Ryan Mitchell Tillwick Mohammed Almutairi Mojtaba Almuallem Miranda Carpenter Mitchell Holt Mitchell Laferla Mitchell Ryan Mitchell Tillwick Mohammed Almutairi Mojtaba Almuallem Mortaja Almuallem Nasser Alsaber

Nasser Almutairi Nathan Estergaard Nathan Foresman Nathaniel Jensen Nicholas Myslinsk Nicholas Kerwin Nick Sudtelgte Nicole Preston Nicole Thalken Nicole Kirby Nikolai Charlton Nouf Almusad Olyum Arnold Paola Avalos Patrick Cook Quentin Urban Rachel Bedrosky Rachel Gaines Rafietou Tchatchasse-Ali Raquel Davis Regina Waterman Remy Davenport

Richard Grove Ridwane Odewale Robert Baker III Robert Noland Ron Renner Rosa Duran Ryan Schmidt Ryan Mundil Sandra Campos Sarah Jurek Savannah Uden Scott Botkin Sean Glomb Sean Popejoy Sean Stepanek Sean Tekrony Seth Revord Shamli Al Shannon Barber Shawnee Peterson Sophie Newell Starla Fleming Stephanie Wiebold

Stephanie Hall Steven Sledge Steven Hand Sydnee Barker Tanner Bies Taylor Musil Tim Allbaugh Timothy O’Brien Travis Nielson Tsubasa Takei Valerie Targy Wesley Pratt Wgdan Bakur Willard Theroult William Waters Xiaomei Chen YanJun Fan Zach Kock Zach Taylor

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