UNF Students
Sweep Business Competition
The inaugural First Coast Regional Business Plan Competition
was presented in April 2006. Coggin College of Business
students swept both the undergraduate and the graduate divisions.
This innovative competition was coordinated
by Enterprise North Florida Corporation, and drew teams
from the University of North Florida, Jacksonville University,
Flagler College and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
for the undergraduate competition. Entries from UNF and
JU were accepted for the graduate division.
Kate Hicks
and Kristen Jones, both UNF
senior business majors at the Coggin College of Business,
presented their plan for “Everything But The Kitchen
Sink,” a rather unique consignment shop. Customers
would supply their consigners with gently-used or never-used
kitchen appliances and gadgets otherwise taking up cabinet
space, and sell them for less than the average store price.
“Everything But The Kitchen Sink”
won the undergraduate competition for what judge Jim Geddes
called a “sort of intuitive” idea. Geddes is
a member of Springboard Capital II, a Jacksonville-based
private equity fund focused upon early stage venture investments.
Geddes was additionally impressed by Hicks and Jones because
they had investigated potential competitors.
The graduate division award was presented
to Joseph Vaughn, who presented
his plan for Queue Entertainment, an amusement park game
company. Vaughn, who is an undergraduate student in the
Coggin College, teamed up with two Coggin College international
graduate students from Belgium. The team presented an entry
that was simple, and carried a low financial risk. The plan
places a mechanical game called Coin Catch in lines for
popular amusement park rides. Vaughn believes people waiting
in long lines want something to do…an idea most people
can relate to easily.
“The competition was a wonderful
forum for students to have the opportunity to get their
ideas in front of individuals who could potentially help
them get started,” said Diane
Denslow, an Instructor who teaches entrepreneurship
classes in the Management, Marketing & Logistics department
at Coggin College. “This experience provided a real-world
perspective to a classroom exercise.”
The event, held on Jacksonville University’s
campus, was judged by Al Rossiter, President and CEO of
Enterprise North Florida, Jim Geddes from Springboard Capital
II, and Rob Taylor, founder of Medical Services Company.
Each of UNF’s winning teams was awarded $1,000.
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