Finance team advances to the finals round in a valuation challenge

Four students will be representing USI's Romain College of Business in the second and final round of the Private Business Valuation Challenge, hosted by Seattle Pacific University. They will compete in Seattle, Washington, April 24-25, 2015.

USI's team is one of 24 teams from universities nationwide competing for a spot in the finals including Purdue University, University of Oregon, University of Maryland (University College), University of Tennessee (Knoxville), California State University (Fullerton), Santa Clara University, and Colorado State University, among others.

The team is made up of four students: senior finance majors Jesse Montank and Kelsey Fulton and accounting majors Mackenzi Seib, a senior, and Emily Cummings, a junior. Co-coaches are faculty members Dr. Khaled Elkhal, associate professor of finance, and Dr. Hinh Khieu, assistant professor of finance.

The challenge is a unique opportunity for students to assess the stand-alone value of an actual private company in the road construction business. The equity value has previously been assessed by an independent consulting firm. Students are challenged to provide an updated valuation (one and half years later), and submit it via a video presentation that is no longer than 40 minutes. Each video was evaluated by a team of senior level valuation professionals who chose the eight best presentations. The eight teams present their final valuations in-person within a 40 minute window followed by a 15 minute Q&A session at the event in Seattle. First place will be awarded $5,000. Second and third place will win $2,500 and $1,500, respectively. Details of the challenge are available at: http://bvchallenge.org.