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Okanagan College students shine during business competition

The Western Canadian Business Competition was held last weekend at Okanagan College
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Okanagan College students have been awarded for their efforts in their business ventures.

Two teams and an individual student from Okanagan College made the podium in their divisions at the Western Canadian Business Competition hosted at the college’s Kelowna campus last weekend, according to an Okanagan College news release.

WCBC, which has run for more than three decades, is a comprehensive undergraduate business competition in which student teams are tasked with administering a complex simulated business scenario over the course of a hypothetical eight-year timeframe. Each team has four members from the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree program that are appointed to designated sectors: Finance, Operations, Marketing, Human Resources – and one member is also designated the CEO, the release said.

At the senior level, Okanagan College students Hannah Fiechter, Brett Loeppky, Mason Rice and Natasha Walters placed first for their strategic plan, and third in the overall competition. Rice stood out to the judges and was awarded the Top Individual distinction.

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“Okanagan College has helped transform my life,” says Rice, who is currently completing his third year as a finance student. “I’m so honoured to have won this award and grateful for the entire experience. This is my first year competing but I definitely plan to be back again next year, as it will be my last year at the college, and I hope to win big once again.”

At the junior level, OC students Kevin Heller, Beau Jackson, Jessica Overland and Justin Rantucci placed second for their Strategic Plan behind teams from College of New Caledonia, and third overall behind teams from College of the Rockies and Langara.

Both OC teams were coached by Okanagan College School of Business professors Dan Allen and Scott Overland.

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“Coaching these teams is a truly rewarding experience,” says Allen, who’s been a coach at WCBC for the last four years. “I have had the privilege of watching students further enhance their business acumen, public speaking skills, corporate boardroom experience, and not to mention have fun while forming strong relationships with their colleagues in the process.”

Putting on an event of this scale is no easy feat without volunteers and sponsors. Eight judges from business backgrounds in the community volunteered their time and expertise to the competition: John Christie, Cliff Ehnes and Andrea Maniford judged the junior division, and Mark McGregor, Gord Hotchkis and Shad Shoranick judged the senior division.

2019 sponsors included McDonald’s on Harvey, Interior Savings and Okanagan Young Professionals Collective.

For more information about WCBC, go to www.okanagan.bc.ca/wcbc.


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