Release Date: Friday, September 24, 2004

STUDENT TEAM FROM UGA'S TERRY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS REACHES FINALS OF NATIONAL BLACK MBA ASSOCIATION CASE COMPETITION

ATHENS, Ga. — For the first time, an MBA team from the Terry College of Business reached the finals of the National Black MBA Association Case Competition, which culminated September 17-18 in Houston with two rounds of competition pitting teams from 35 different MBA programs nationally.

Second-year MBA students Wesley Cox, Oyin Enoch and Tamara Jordan, along with team alternate and first-year MBA student Redick Brown had four weeks to analyze the case, come up with a strategy and present their solution to the business problem posed by contest sponsor Daimler Chrysler Corp.

This is the 12th year the case competition has been part of the annual conference of the National Black MBA Association, but just the third year that a team from the Terry College has entered.

"For us to finish in the top six in our third year out of the gate, that's a steep curve," Jordan said.

"We wanted to carry the torch forward from the Terry MBA team we worked with and learned from last year," Enoch said. "We practiced every day leading up to the competition. We practically colonized room 313 (in Sanford Hall)."

The case revolved around customer relationship management issues for the financial services unit of Daimler Chrysler. For their strong showing, the team was awarded a crystal trophy as finalists in the competition. The other B-schools to reach the finals were from the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, University of Maryland, Baylor University and Georgia State University.

The team members shared credit for Terry's highest finish yet with the faculty and MBA staff who advised them. Professors Srinivas Reddy and Kimberly Grantham advised the team on marketing strategy, Marc Lipson helped with the finance side of their plan, MBA Programs Director Mel Crask helped the team hone their presentation, and MBA Admissions Director Anne Cooper traveled to Houston and supported the team in competition.

The team members made good use of their entire time at the NBMBAA conference, which drew more than 13,000 black business professionals and 400 employers to the five-day annual meeting. In addition to the case competition, the students participated in a career fair and heard speeches from the likes of presidential adviser Vernon Jordan, news commentator Tavis Smiley and Kwame Jackson, first runner-up on NBC's "The Apprentice."

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