A team of five seniors beat out the rest of their class in a Binghamton University School of Management consulting strategy competition this week.
According to Jessica Romano, a finance, marketing and global management major, and also a member of the winning team, the competition is part of SOM’s capstone course, International Strategy.
“All seniors are required to participate in the first round of the competition,” Romano said.
The competition calls on groups of students to analyze the financial situation of a company and then give advice as to what the company should or should not do.
The teams analyzed the situation of a shoe company, ECCO, from 2004.
The first round of the competition consists of groups of five or six, each of which is required to give a 15-minute PowerPoint presentation, followed by a 15-minute question-and-answer session.
On Thursday, the three professors of the course chose the top three teams who would present more in-depth analyses and solutions for the company.
Romano’s team, known either as The Closers or team Gotta Get That, includes Jessica Romano; Mark Kramer, an accounting and finance major; Chris Landsiedel, a marketing and global management major; Arthur Kolomeysky, a finance major; Ian Schechter, a global management major and Matt Simone, a finance and entrepreneurship major. The Closers made it to the final round, which took place in the Anderson Center’s Watters Theater on Monday.
The case competition final, on Monday, was judged by five owners of local businesses, including Visions Federal Credit Union and the local chain of Dunkin’ Donuts.
“They chose the team they would most likely hire, if it was a real consulting job,” said Romano.
The Closers won the competition, which means they will receive denotations on their diplomas. They also received a plaque and a picture with all the business owners, in addition to SOM Dean Upinder Dhillon and some professors.
“We won the pride, knowing we’re the best,” said Romano.