Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Business graduate students won first place in the 2013 Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) Mid-America Corporate Growth Conference. The competition was held May 14 at the Chase Park Plaza.
The SIUE team was comprised of School of Business graduate students Stan Blustein, Anne Peterson, Eric Robert and Kirin Satwani. The students won a St. Louis regional competition in April against teams from Washington University, St. Louis University, and the University of Missouri – St. Louis. That victory secured a $5,000 cash prize and ACG memberships. The team then advanced to the regional competition where they beat teams from the University of Missouri – Kansas City and the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.
Organized as a case study competition, the ACG Cup provides business students with learning experience in mergers, acquisitions, investment banking, financial advisory and private equity. The case studies afford those in the competition a chance to interact and work with professionals from within the ACG community.
Robert, an MBA student from Red Bud, said he is proud of the team and believes the experience will benefit their careers. “The skills we refined in the ACG Cup will make us better in the workplace and as prospective employees,” he said.
Serving as one of the faculty advisors was SIUE Assistant Professor of Economics and Finance Shrikant Jategaonkar. “This competition is an excellent setting for our students to apply the analytical and communication skills they acquire in school,” he said. “Additionally, making a successful presentation in front of corporate executives is a great confidence booster and networking experience.”
According to Robert, a major contributing factor to their success was the support they received from the School of Business faculty and staff. “The personal support of our faculty advisors, Dr. Rakesh Bharati and Dr. Jategaonkar, as well as SIUE School of Business Dean Gary Giamartino and Associate Dean Janice Joplin, was invaluable.
“We were very proud to represent SIUE at the regional level after beating the other top-tier business schools in the St. Louis-based competition. There’s a deep satisfaction in knowing that SIUE’s Business School can prevail over programs throughout the country.”
About Association for Corporate Growth
ACG’s 14,500 members include professionals from private equity firms, corporations and lenders that invest in middle-market companies, as well as from law, accounting, investment banking and other firms that provide advisory services. Founded in 1954, ACG is a global organization with 58 chapters. Learn more at www.acg.org. ACG drives middle market growth. Learn how at www.middlemarketgrowth.org.
About the SIUE School of Business
The SIUE School of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International, representing the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide. The Princeton Review lists SIUE as one of the top 296 business schools in the U.S. and abroad for the seventh consecutive year. Undergraduate and graduate degrees are offered in accounting, computer management and information systems, economics, finance, management and marketing. More than 23,000 alumni have earned degrees from the SIUE School of Business. For more information, visit the SIUE School of Business.
Photo Cutline: SIUE School of Business graduate captured the first place award at the ACG Cup Regional Competition. Pictured (left to right): Eric Robert, Anne Peterson, Kirin Satwani and Stan Blustein.