The Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) team and Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) chapter at Southern Arkansas University recently attended the 2009 SIFE Regional Competition in Dallas, Texas and the PBL State Leadership Conference in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
The SIFE team was named Regional Champion and as a National Finalist in the Team Sustainability Individual Topic Competition. Thirteen team members and their two Sam M. Walton Fellows of Free Enterprise, Dr. James Clark and Traci Hughes attended the one-day competition. Nine team members along with Clark and Hughes also attended the SIFE National Exposition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The PBL chapter brought home 30 state awards, including five first place awards and was named an Arkansas PBL Gold Chapter. Twenty-five chapter members and two chapter advisers, Gerald Plumlee and Hughes, attended the two-day conference. The chapter also received third place honors for its fundraising efforts for the March of Dimes.
SAU-PBL’s Free Enterprise project placed second competition. The project report was written by Kayla Wright, a freshman nursing major from Smackover. The project was presented by Wright and Amber Amonette. Amonette is a junior psychology major from Mineral Springs. Wright also received recognition in Who’s Who in Arkansas PBL as a member of the 2008-2009 Arkansas PBL State Officer team. Wright is the 2008-2009 Director of State Programs.
The Human Resource Management Team placed first. Team members included: Curtis Box II, a senior organizational management major from Camden, Jessica Haynes, a senior management major from Magnolia, and Brent Wallace, a junior management major from Magnolia.
The Business Decision Making Team placed fourth. Team members included: Jody Nations, a senior accounting major from El Dorado, John Miller, a senior accounting major from Texarkana, TX, and Donna Lambis, a senior accounting major from El Dorado. Miller also placed fifth in Accounting Analysis & Decision Making, Nations placed third in Accounting for Professionals, and Lambis placed second in Business Law.
Cecilie Lane won first place in Computer Applications. Lane is a freshman management major from Kingsland.
Weston Wright, a sophomore management major from Smackover, received first place for writing the Local Chapter Annual Business Report.
Shelley Keith, a sophomore general business major from Magnolia, placed first in Marketing Concepts. Keith also placed second in Computer Concepts.
Crystal Lewis, a senior accounting and finance double major from Shongaloo, La., received second place in Accounting for Professionals and in Accounting Analysis and Decision Making.
Nana Hauwa Bawa, a junior accounting and finance double major from New York, placed second in Business Communication.
Brittany Trabbic, a senior accounting and finance double major from Smackover, won second place in Financial Concepts.
Ashley Dixon Talley, a management and marketing double major graduate from Magnolia, received second place in Marketing Analysis and Decision Making and fourth place in Management Concepts.
Grant Toms, a marketing major graduate from Taylor, placed second in Marketing Concepts and fourth in Microeconomics.
Jonathan Hale, a junior HKR major from Camden, placed third in Contemporary Sports Issues.
Shelia Muchiri, a sophomore finance major from South Africa, placed fourth in Macroeconomics and Public Speaking.
Lea Chenoweth, a marketing major graduate from Smackover, placed fourth in Marketing Analysis and Decision Making.
Joseph Milam, a junior marketing major from El Dorado, placed fourth in Future Business Executive.
Sarah Hannegan Johnson, a senior accounting major from El Dorado, placed fourth in Statistical Analysis. Johnson served on the 2007-2008 state officer team as the Director of State Programs.
Candyce McCann, a management major graduate from Magnolia, placed third in Chapter Scrapbook and received recognition in Who’s Who in Arkansas PBL. McCann was the 2007-2008 Arkansas PBL President and served as an Adviser to the state officer team this past year.
Hughes, SAU College of Business Instructor and PBL Adviser from Prescott, Arkansas, was named the 2009 Arkansas PBL Outstanding Local Chapter Adviser.
Six chapter members will be competing at the PBL National Leadership Conference, which will be held in Anaheim, California, on June 18-24, 2009. PBL members rely on corporate sponsorship donations and fundraisers to cover the expense of attending the National Leadership Conference.
Phi Beta Lambda is the post-secondary division of Future Business Leaders of America. Membership is open to all students interested in careers in business or business education. For more information about PBL or how to sponsor a national competitor contact the SAU-PBL chapter at (870) 235-4298 or ext. 4300.
