August 4, 2003 :: No.14

CSUF Students Win Second-Place Award in National Competition

A team of Cal State Fullerton business undergraduates has added another award to the College of Business and Economics’ long list of national honors.

The five-member team, under the direction of Farouk Abdelwahed, associate professor of management, finished second in the Small Business Institute Directors’ Association Field Case Competition in the undergraduate comprehensive category.

Christopher S. Herrmann of Rancho Cucamonga, Jose Jimenez of Santa Ana, Matthew J. Klahorst of Fullerton, Stephanie M. Lomibao of Placentia and Joyceline M. Tweede of Arizona were members of the award-winning team that worked with T. Christy Enterprises, a manufacturing firm located in Anaheim.

Putting their classroom experience to work in a real-world situation, teams consult with small businesses, recommending changes in marketing, finance and operations.

“It’s an extensive, comprehensive analysis of the company,” stresses Abdelwaded. “Student teams must meet no less than six or seven times with the owner of the company. The objective is for the students to gain valuable practical experience in using what they have learned and for the company to become more successful than they were.”

“They did a fine job. It was clear, concise and on point…a tremendous value,” said John Christy, president of T. Christy Enterprises. “The report is a wealth of information.”

“It was one of the hardest things that I’ve ever done in my life,” says Lomibao. “But I was working with a really excellent team, and each of us did our part. It’s something that we can carry with us into the professional world.”

Teammate Tweede agrees. “Working together as a team during the small-business project acted as a stepping stone to my career.”

Cal State Fullerton teams have served more than 700 businesses and won more than 40 prizes for outstanding case work from the U.S. Small Business Administration, including the Leavey Award for Excellence in Private Enterprise Education from the Freedoms Foundation.

“To win top honors, a team must provide evidence that their efforts resulted in significant and lasting benefits to the business,” said Michael D. Ames, professor of management and director of the university’s Small Business Institute and Center for Entrepreneurship.

Cal State Fullerton’s Small Business Institute is now accepting inquiries from business owners who wish to have their firms participate in the institute’s student consulting program. For information, call (949) 644-4541.

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