(SAULT STE. MARIE, ON – April 4, 2019): Business Administration students from across Northern Ontario have been put to the test today at the Algoma University School of Business and Economics 13th Annual Northern Ontario Business Case Competition at The Water Tower Inn in Sault Ste. Marie.
“The Business Case Competition is the ultimate way for students to finish off their education at Algoma University,” said Cathy Denomme, Director of the Algoma University School of Business and Economics. “It allows them the opportunity to showcase their talents to future employers while competing directly with their peers. All participants are able to leverage the great networking opportunity provided through this event which could be a valuable stepping stone in their long-term career success.”
This year’s event included guest speakers and judges Michael Burns, Mandy Gilbert, & Manu “Swish” Goswami. They interacted with students throughout the competition, visiting each of the teams for approximately 15 minutes as students worked on the solution to the presented case. This experience allowed students the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities to the guest judges and also gain vital feedback from them.
Under Michael Burns’ leadership, the Toronto Invictus Games were completely sold out, and viewed by more than 40 million people around the world. The Games continue to enhance the global understanding of the ongoing challenges veterans face. Known for his passion for community giving, Burns now leads the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation — one of the top five cancer research centres in the world — as President and CEO, where he brings together his extensive background to lead the charge in treating and eradicating the disease. With more than 20 years of experience in marketing, financial services, technology and entrepreneurship, Burns took a leave from his role as Vice-President, Corporate Development at AudienceView to lead the 2017 Invictus Games as CEO in 2015. In 2017, Burns received a Doctor of Laws from Dalhousie University. He has received various awards including The Meritorious Service Cross, the Canadian Forces Medallion for Distinguished Service, and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
Having successfully built two international businesses from the ground up, Mandy Gilbert has been recognized as a United Nations Global Accelerator and ranked as one of Canada’s Top Female Entrepreneurs on Canadian Business’ Profit 500 list and Chatelaine’s W100 list. With a straightforward and no-nonsense approach, Mandy speaks on entrepreneurship, leadership, culture, talent, and building a professional brand, all grounded by her own journey from a “one-woman show” to the founder of multi-million-dollar enterprises. In 2002, Mandy started Creative Niche, a specialized recruitment firm, with just $8,000. Today, it brings in more than $10 million in sales and has successfully placed thousands of creative, digital, marketing, and advertising talent across North America.
Just 21 years old, Manu (Swish) Goswami is already a serial entrepreneur, having been named “Startup Canada’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year”; a LinkedIn Youth Editor; a past Fortune 500 consultant for Google and American Express; a venture capitalist; a UN Youth Ambassador; and a three-time TEDx speaker. Swish shares his philosophies on the entrepreneurial hustle, and the trends leading technology and business to help individuals and organizations get noticed in a fast-moving economy.
In previous years, the competition has featured the likes of Head of Marketing for Porter Airlines, Maclin Williams; founder of TenThousandCoffees.com David Wilkin; Co-Founder of Free the Children Craig Kielburger; David Segal, the founder of DAVIDsTea; Canadian television sensation Jessi Cruickshank; Nicole Verkindt, Dragon of CBC’s Next Gen Den; husband and wife entrepreneur duo Farah and Martin Perelmuter of Speakers Spotlight; BNN Anchor Amanda Lang; self-made millionaire Michael Hyatt; Million Dollar Neighbourhood’s Preet Banerjee; Terry O’Reilly, CBC radio host of O’Reilly on Advertising, The Age of Persuasion, and Under the Influence; Bruce Croxon, co-founder of Lavalife and former Dragon on Dragons’ Den; Evan Solomon, host of CTV’s Question Period; Tool Shed Brewery founder Graham Sherman; and Diane Buckner from CBC’s reality hit show Dragons’ Den.
Students from the Algoma University School of Business and Economics in Sault Ste. Marie and Brampton, Nipissing University, and Laurentian University participated in the competition, as well as students from Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
Laurentian University took the third place spot, with Algoma University and Lake Superior State University sharing top honours for the second year in a row. Congratulations to all of our award recipients and participants!
The Water Tower Inn, Northern Credit Union and a wide range of other generous Sault Ste. Marie and Brampton based businesses have generously supported this event. Thank you to our judges, participants and community partners.
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