MBA Students Receive Top Honors for Seven Years Running in Society for the Advancement of Management Case Competition - Challenges of Wynn Resorts, LTD. Leave Students ready to double down.

Raj Soin College of Business students once again achieved top honors at the 2009 Society for Advancement of Management nationwide case competition. This is the seventh consecutive year that Wright State has placed in the top three in the nation setting an unprecedented record in the history of the competition. (Beth Wantz not pictured)

The MBA graduate team consisting of Erica Hamblen (Cincinnati, OH), Gouri Pandit (Belgaum, India) and Joseph Santinoceto (Johnstown, PA) placed second in their division. The undergraduate team including Katie Dixon (Medway, Ohio), Beth Wantz (Cleveland, Ohio), and Andrea Zeno (Bellaire, Ohio), as well as the rest of the S.A.M. club placed first in the small club awards. The president of the club is Justin Brackenhoff.

This year’s national competition focused on Wynn Resorts and Casinos. Over 40 teams competed in the finals held in Las Vegas. The students were judged on a basis of clear analysis, in-depth decision making, effective communication skills, professionalism, style, and overall presence. The students’ analysis and recommendations addressed the company’s debt structure, expansion issues, brand image, global concerns, and current economic conditions.

Each team worked countless hours in order to perfect their recommendations and presentations. According to MBA team member Joe Santinoceto, “Our team put in a lot of work for the competition. Given the current economy and the struggles that Casino Companies are facing with the economic times, we felt that our suggestions were a bit on the conservative side. So we wanted to make sure we hit home with our presentation style, preparation, and presence. Erica hit the financials hard and Gouri came out with this mighty presence that was really quite commanding, our group dynamics couldn’t have been better and I think that really won over the judges.” Gouri Pandit had this to add, “Joe came up with this great idea of a Monopoly theme and incorporated the decision confidently in the presentation.”

Undergraduate team member Katie Dixon had this to say about the competition, "The SAM Conference was an amazing experience that improved my overall knowledge of the professional world. It not only allowed for networking for future opportunities, but the case competition helped me gain essential information on how to tackle issues I may encounter when working in my profession. I am grateful that Wright State University, The College of Business, Dean Farmer and Lisa Crawford allowed me to engage in this wonderful opportunity."

“Our graduate and undergraduate teams both had tremendous drive and initiative in preparing for and competing in the National SAM Case Competition this year,” said Lisa Crawford, lecturer in the department of management and the team advisor. “Both teams contributed tremendous effort throughout the entire process which was extremely demanding and their talents and knowledge were recognized by placing second in the nation.  The teams were intent on keeping Wright State University in the top national rankings for the seventh year in a row.  I am deeply proud of all of their accomplishments.”

“I am very proud of our student’s accomplishments,” said Berkwood Farmer, Ph.D., dean of the college. “This competition allows our students to develop their communication and analytical skills and proves that they can compete with other top-notch schools in the nation and come out on top.”  

Editors Note:
Hamblen is from Cincinnati, Ohio and a full-time MBA student working as a Graduate Assistant for the information systems and operations management Department at Raj Soin School of Business. She will be graduating in June with a M.S. in Social and Applied Economics from Wright State University.

Pandit is from Belgaum, India and a full-time MBA student working as a Graduate Assistant for the Management of Information Science Department at Raj Soin School of Business. Her hobbies include painting, trekking, drama and cooking.

Santinoceto is from Johnstown, Pa and a full-time MBA student working as a Graduate Assistant for the Deans Office in the Raj Soin School of Business. In his spare time he enjoys photography, cooking, soccer, and networking.

Dixon is from Medway, Ohio and is a senior, majoring in Marketing and Management.  She is involved in the Marketing and Management Club, Secretary of the Student Union Continuous Quality Improvement Team, and a member of the United Way and CARE organizations.

Wantz is from Cleveland, Ohio and is a senior graduating in June with dual bachelor’s degree in business management and human resources. She belongs to the Management and HR club and is a member of the school of business student advisory board.

Zeno is from Bellaire, Ohio and is a senior graduating in June with a degree in Finance and Accounting. She is the secretary of the finance club and plans on taking her CFA in June. She also interns at Smith Barney in Centerville.

View all News...