News / Business
SIFE TRU Hosted the First Tony Brower Innovation Exposition with Wholesale Furniture Brokers as Judge
In March 2010, the first Tony Brower Innovation Exposition (TBIE) was hosted by the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) Chapter of the Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. Inviting students from all over North America, through online business forums, social networking mediums, non profit organizations, university administrative staff, class room projects, newsprint, television, radio, and direct calling, the TBIE provides business students with a platform to showcase their business plans through the largest platform of all - the internet.
This year, thirteen teams entered the competition, with five teams making it to the final round. ECO-ZIP from Thompson Rivers University won the grand prize, receiving $7,500 in cash prize. Pear-Tree Preschool from Columbia Business School received the second prize, winning $2,500.
Encouraging innovation and originality in today's competitive business world, the TBIE intends to assist competitors in improving and further developing their projects from the planning stage. The exposition is not only beneficial to the participants but is also a fertile ground for business professionals to recruit new talent and to network with students and other business professionals.
Established in 2009, the TBIE was inspired by the late Tony Brower, a professor from TRU who not only believed in the power of innovation but also on hands-on experience outside the classroom. Believing that much can be learned from the outside world, he conducted field trips to expose his students to the day-to-day management of local business enterprises. He also encouraged competition by joining relevant events such as the Royal Roads University International Undergraduate Case Competition. Today, upholding his vision, SIFE TRU strives to continue with the same conduct of the TBIE.
To ensure the continuing success of the exposition, Megan Kerslake, 2010 TBIE Project Manager, says, "For next year we plan to start marketing the competition much earlier in the school year. We hope to be able to utilize university communication portals and campus newspapers as a place to advertise the competition. We also plan to partner with as many professors as possible to integrate entering the TBIE competition as part of their students curriculum, offering it as an alternative to one of their assignments."
Kerslake further adds, "To bring more spice to the competition, we also plan to add two major components. The first is the introduction of three new merit awards - one for the most innovative business idea, one for the most environmentally sustainable, and another for the most socially responsible. These will be awards that offer recognition to teams for their business ideas that meet the criteria of each award. The second addition will be a training seminar for the winning team. It intends to assist and teach them management and administrative skills that they will be able to use in their business operation."
SIFE is an international network of students, academics, and business leaders. Working in partnership with business and higher education, SIFE establishes student teams in universities to promote community service projects that teach market economics, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, personal success skills, business ethics, and environmental sustainability.
For the SIFE TRU team plans, Kerslake says, "Our organization aims to help the community in a variety of different ways, through different kinds of projects. TBIE is geared towards promoting entrepreneurship and providing a medium for students to test the viability of their business ideas. We do, however, have plans to further develop the Tony Brower Innovation Exposition next year and in years to come to offer more value for our competitors."
In this years' TBIE, Wholesale Furniture Brokers was part of the judging panel. Dave Zirnhelt, Wholesale Furniture Brokers' President, served as one of the preliminary judges who screened all entries prior to the final presentations. When asked what he gained form the experience, Zirnhelt says, "It was an educational experience. There was a very diverse group of business plans so I learned a lot about businesses in many different sectors. TBIE proved their talent for creating and hosting a complex competition, by helping advance the development of viable start-ups." Trent Hardaker, Wholesale Furniture Brokers’ Operations Manager, also served as a final round judge for the competition.
About Wholesale Furniture Brokers
Wholesale Furniture Brokers offers price leading furniture to online customers direct from the manufacturers in the US and Canada. World-class customer service is provided to customers by telephone, email, and chat. Shoppers can choose from a growing collection of traditional, modern, and contemporary furniture styles for inside and outside of the home at Wholesale Furniture Brokers. Consumers do not need to pay a membership fee to buy from Wholesale Furniture Brokers.
