In the Business Plan Contest, students work in teams to research, develop and present quality business plans that are feasible, profitable and novel. Those who have participated in the contest felt it was a great opportunity to be involved in a real business project and gain experience that cannot be learned in the classroom. Students said they learned important skills they will need in their careers, such as teamwork, communication, leadership and networking skills.
The Business Plan Contest is a course (BUS457 for undergraduates and BUS587 for MBA students) in the spring. The presentations before a panel and judges for a chance to win a scholarship and award ceremony will be held in early May. Please contact Danielle Tomczyk by phone at 845-257-2932, or by e-mail at tomczykd@newpaltz.edu, for more information.
Upcoming Dates
For Businesses
Highlights of last year's Contest
Dates for the 2013-14 Contest will be announced. The Presentations & Award Ceremony will be held in May 2014.
For Businesses
There are opportunities for businesses to participate in the contest by:
• Being a sponsor: Your support will help build a scholarship fund for student participants and cover the teams’ operating costs.
• Mentoring a team: Teams are paired with mentors in fields related to the business ideas. Mentors are valuable resources who provide guidance, encouragement and feedback, and share their expertise and knowledge with the teams.
• Providing ideas: Our students have demonstrated that they can develop creative and practical plans. They can take your ideas for a new business and turn them into solid business plans.
Please contact Danielle Tomczyk at 845-257-2932 or tomczykd@newpaltz.edu for more information, or if you wish to submit an idea or serve as a mentor to a team.
Highlights of 2013 Contest
The School of Business at the State University of New York at New Paltz and Campus Auxiliary Services, Inc. held its Business Plan Contest Presentation and Award Ceremony on May 9.
The six teams of students presented their business plans before a panel of judges consisting of local business leaders. The winning team researched and developed a plan for a consulting company that will assist hospitals in the Mid-Hudson Valley to assess the effectiveness and resulting profitability of their current electronic health record systems. The runner up team created a plan for a dedicated travel agency focused primarily on providing accommodations for people within the television industry in the New York Metropolitan area. Both teams were awarded scholarships.
Medicon Services - A consulting company that will assist hospitals in the Mid-Hudson Valley with assessing the effectiveness and resulting profitability of their current electronic health record systems.
Students: Kali Brockunier, Chaitali Gajjar, Erwann Gouat, Argelia Morales
Mentors: Associate Dean Chih-Yang Tsai & Prof. Ted Clark
Media Movers - A dedicated travel agency focused primarily on providing accommodations for people within the television industry in the New York Metropolitan area.
Students: Eric Chanin, Dounia El Mejjad, Joshua Rosman, Gina Sarcona
Green Palette - The expansion of an existing company focused on creating and selling sustainable furniture which also provides consulting services in designing interiors with sustainable materials and eco-friendly methods.
Students: Shih-Hsien Ho, Philippe Hubau, Junxiao Jia, Miroslav Stufka
New Paltz Local Market - A company that combines a grocery store and café which features local products, and provides consulting, packaging and bottling services to local farmers.
Students: Yunus Caglar, Yunus Oktem, Sedat Sezer, Murat Uskuay
ProMak - A company that offers strategic renovation services to home sellers that are designed to increase the value of their home greater than or equal to the cost of the renovations.
Students: Anthony Church, Ethan Kramer, Joseph Krug, Shilpa Oommen
Yogist - A personal development center in Istanbul, Turkey that will offer yoga, pilates and spa services.
Students: Irem Kumralbas, Cihan Onal, Elif Sen, Yesim Uygur
Special Thanks to our Judges
Christina Bark, Christina Bark & Associates
Melinda Beuf, Ulster County Office of Business Services
Steve Deutsch, Campus Auxiliary Services, Inc.
Michael Smith, New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce
Thanks to Our Sponsors
We would like to extend a special thanks to the following companies for their contributions towards this program:
Campus Auxiliary Services (CAS), Inc.
Sodexho Food Services
HudsonValley Federal Credit Union
M&T Bank
Mid-Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union
Ulster Savings Bank
Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation
Rocking Horse Ranch Resort
TD Bank
Everton H. Henriques '78, '83g & Jeannie Irvine '78
Moncrief Associates
New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce
Jan Bell
Mid-Hudson Small Business Development Center
