The MBA case team from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Haslam College of Business returned to Rocky Top from the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) Graduate Case Competition with the second-place trophy and a $15,000 prize. The competition took place September 18-20 in Washington, D.C., during the NBMBAA’s 46th Annual Conference and Exposition, the largest conference for MBA students.

Strong Field of Competitors

The Haslam graduate case team, along with teams from 23 other schools, tackled a case aimed at developing strategies to enhance awareness of the Jeep family of brands among Black consumers. Teams were judged on the depth of their analysis of the industry problem, the specificity and feasibility of their recommendations and the quality of their presentations.

The Haslam graduate team joined six other teams in reaching the final round of the competition. In this round, the remaining seven teams presented their recommendations on the case to a panel of senior-level executives from leading corporations nationwide. Carnegie Mellon won first place, and Clark Atlanta University took third place to round out the top three finishers.

The veteran Haslam graduate team consisted of Tony Gunn, Lily Hendrickson, Em Strieter and Antonio Terrell. Randy V. Bradley, associate professor of supply chain management and information systems, and Amir Gray, a current MBA student, served as the team’s advisors. Bradley called the team’s second place finish a worthy effort.

“The field in this NBMBAA competition was stocked with high-caliber teams,” Bradley said. “Our team delivered a solid presentation with viable solutions to the business case. Placing in the top three with Carnegie Mellon and Clark Atlanta is commendable. We are exceptionally proud of our students’ effort, performance and commitment to excellence.”

A Team with Historic Success

The team of Terrell, Strieter, Hendrickson and Gunn are outstanding in another way. According to Laura Williams, director of student services for Haslam’s graduate business programs, these four talented individuals comprise the college’s most decorated graduate case competition team in Haslam’s history. In addition to their second-place finish in the NBMBAA competition, their achievements include winning first place in the 2024 KeyBank Foundation Minority MBA Student Case Competition, second place at the 2023 Howard University MBA Exclusive Case Competition and fourth place in the 2023 SEC MBA Case Competition. Individual honors for the students include SEC’s Divisional Best Presenter – Gunn, Keybank’s Divisional Best Q&A – Emma Strieter and SEC’s Divisional Best Q&A – Hendrickson.

“Tony, Lily, Antonio and Em have displayed remarkably consistent excellence in their dedication and preparation for every case competition they have participated in,” Williams said. “Their rapport as a team has enabled them to achieve great heights, and the Haslam MBA team applauds their accomplishments.”

About the NBMBAA Graduate Case Competition

Sponsored by Stellantis, the multinational automotive manufacturing company whose brands include Jeep, the NBMBAA Graduate Case Competition is an annual event that provides high-potential graduate students an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and problem-solving skills in a formal competition. This rigorous event challenges student consulting teams to dissect complex business cases, employing their problem-solving acumen to deliver insightful recommendations and compelling presentations to a distinguished panel of industry judges.

About the Haslam College of Business Graduate and Executive Education Programs

Haslam offers graduate and executive education programs that prepare students to reach their full potential and advance their careers. At the master’s level, these programs include the Haslam Full-Time MBA, Online MBA, Professional MBA, Executive MBA (Global Supply Chain, Healthcare Leadership and Strategic Leadership), Aerospace and Defense MBA, Physician Executive MBA, Master of Accountancy, M.A. in Economics, M.S. in Business Analytics, M.S. in Management and Human Resources, M.S. in Marketing, M.S. in Supply Chain Management Online and M.S. in Business Cybersecurity Online. Haslam also offers a full portfolio of doctoral programs.

Haslam’s graduate programs address real-world challenges through an interdisciplinary approach that develops both analytical and leadership skills. Its faculty are industry thought leaders, seasoned practitioners and accomplished researchers who work tirelessly to create dynamic, relevant and impactful learning experiences.

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CONTACT:

Scott McNutt, business writer/publicist, rmcnutt4@utk.edu