Montréal, February 1, 2010. It started small with only three Cegeps five years ago, but there is nothing small about the Vanier College BDC Case Challenge anymore. This year, 22 teams from colleges across Canada will battle one another on February 13-14, 2010. The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) has been a supporter of this competition since its inception. Vanier College is very pleased to have them on board again this year as the principal sponsor of the Vanier College BDC Case Challenge.
“Participating in case competitions like this one gives our students the confidence and ability to go and pursue entrepreneurial endeavours when they graduate,” indicates Vanier Team coach, David Moscovitz, Coordinator of the Vanier Business Administration Program, and principal organizer of the event. Earning a spot on a competing team is no mean feat, and throughout the fall, Vanier marketing students vied for a spot on the College Team. In December the selection was made and this year, the honour goes to Neha Arora, Patrick Bischoff, and Julie Carbone, with alternate Wilson Li, all Third Year Business Administration students.
Case challenges are grueling encounters that demand creativity, knowledge, clear thinking, steady nerves and good presentation skills. During the competition students, in teams of three, are isolated for three hours to analyze a business problem they have never seen before, create a Power Point presentation then present a viable marketing plan before a panel of judges. The teams are judged on the practicality and value of their solutions, and the quality of their presentations.
This year’s judges, all education, business and industry professionals from across Canada, include: Dave Bussiere, Professor of Marketing, Odette School of Business University of Windsor; Robert Palmer, Professor of Marketing Williams School of Business Bishop’s University; Christopher Ross, Professor of Marketing John Molson School of Business Concordia University; Ajay Sirsi, Professor of Marketing Schulich School of Business York University; Tamara Mananian, Human Resource Specialist, Insight Canada; Bruno Delorme, Partner BDC Consulting Group; Carolyn Di Murro, Partner Eptix Electronics Inc; Gilbert Rock, Professor of Marketing College Ahuntsic; and Leigh-Anne Graham, Pearson Education.
The 2010 competing colleges are Vanier College, Dawson College, John Abbott College, Champlain College, St-Lambert, Collège Lionel-Groulx, Cégep régional de Lanaudière à Joliette, Cégep André Laurendeau, and Collège Rosemont from Québec; Centennial College, Seneca College, Algonquin College, St-Lawrence College (Cornwall), St Lawrence College (Kingston), Sheridan College, Mohawk College, Georgian College, Niagara College, Humber College, Durham College from Ontario; New Brunswick Community College and Nova Scotia Community College from the Maritimes; and the J.R. Shaw School of Business, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology from Alberta.
Because of the large number of participants, there will be two theaters of 11 presentations on Saturday. That evening, the top three teams from each theater will be announced at a gala dinner. These six teams will then go on to compete in the finals on Sunday morning, following which, an awards luncheon will take place.
The competition will take place at the Marriott Courtyard Hotel (Montreal Airport), 7000 Place Robert-Joncas, (514-339-5333). Presentations begin at 10:30 AM and run until 4:30 PM on Saturday.
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