The annual Capsim Fall Business Simulation Challenge concluded its 10th year last weekend with students from the United States and abroad taking top honors.

Ramanarayanan K from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangladore took first place in the Capsim Capstone® Challenge, and Robert Woodward from Brigham-Young University-Idaho won the Capsim Foundation® Challenge.

Capsim Challenge Coordinator May Zelner says, “The Challenge grows every year. The competition is intense with 1108 competitors from university campuses in India, Canada, Australia, Turkey, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Chile and the United States participating this fall”.

Ten years ago, in the fall of 2000, three students from the Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill won the Challenge. We tracked down Dipti Patel-Misra, Robert Rodgers and Eric Spink to learn if the business skills they demonstrated back then translated into successful careers.

Dipti is VP, Enterprise Financial Planning and Analysis at Blue Cross Blue Shield North Carolina. Robert is Director, Finance and Business Operations at Lockheed Martin in Colorado. Eric is President at Coastal Community Bank in Washington State.

Dan Smith, president of Capsim Management Simulations, says, “It is a real thrill for us to see these three guys, who showed so much promise at business school, fulfilling their potential”.

Mr. Smith adds, “A business simulation provides the opportunity to integrate the many streams of learning at business schools and to apply them in a realistic way. Students who enroll in the Challenge want to keep practicing, to keep honing their business skills even after their course is finished, and we think that enthusiasm pays dividends”.

The Capstone and Foundation Business Simulation Challenge is a global online competition held in the spring and fall semesters each year. The Challenge is open to all students who have participated in a Capsim business simulation in a university course in the previous 12 months.

2010 Capsim Capstone Fall Challenge Finalists
1st Place: Ramanarayanan K; Indian Institute of Management, Banglador, Professor Dharam Pal
2nd Place: Michael Abadir; University of Washington, Professor Vitaly Nishanov
3rd Place: Dai Jiangwei and Song Jie; Curtin University of Technology, Professor Adolph DeSousa
4th Place: Romi Chordia, Vijay Khairnar and Niladri Kundu; XLRI School of Business and Human Resources, Jamshedpur, Professors Munish Thakur and Dharam Pal
5th Place: Matthew Mundt; James Madison University, Professor Bill Ritchie
6th Place: Gabriel Gonzalez Ponce; University of Texas, El Paso, Professor Joseph O’Connor

2010 Capsim Foundation Fall Challenge Finalists
1st Place: Robert Woodward; Brigham-Young University-Idaho, Professor Michael Whitesides
2nd Place: Trent Commons and Joel Huynh; Baylor University, Professor Blaine McCormick
3rd Place: Curtis Wallette; Montana State University-Billings, Professor Patricia Holman
4th Place: Paul Hansen; Villanova University, Professor Anthony Catanach
5th Place: Tan Duy Nguyen; Texas Christian University, Professor Patrick W. Nuss
6th Place: Olivier Djomby; University of Texas, Dallas, Professor Larry Chasteen

About Capsim Management Simulations, Inc.

Founded in 1985, Capsim Management Simulations is a global leader in developing and delivering business simulations that prepare practicing and aspiring business people to run profitable businesses. Our programs create rich learning experiences that give participants, whether in an academic or corporate setting, the opportunity to practice the skills and build the business acumen that are behind today’s successful companies. More than 550,000 participants at 500 schools and corporations have built their business acumen through Capsim learning experiences. Visit www.capsim.com for more information and a complete list of past winners.