Future Business Leaders chapter finishes top 10 at nationals

The College of Business’ Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda capped off a successful year with a strong performance at a national competition in Anaheim, Ca.

Team FIU captured seventh place in the Free Enterprise showcase, which evaluates a group project that serves to educate the community. FIU’s chapter also received the Gold Seal Award, given to the top 10 percent of all chapters in the organization.

FIU’s Business Olympics, the activity recognized by FBLA-PBL, brings together COB students for competitions in public speaking, accounting, business decision making. The group recently opened the competition to all COB organizations as a way for them to help recruit members.

“We are so proud to be recognized as one of the top chapters in the nation,” said Gedma Estrada, incoming president of FIU’s FBLA-PBL chapter. “It was also gratifying to be recognized for our work with the Business Olympics in the final year of the Free Enterprise competition.” In addition to Estrada, the Free Enterprise team consisted of Kevin Carballe and Eric Semino.

A total of six students from the College of Business participated in the Anaheim competition, which drew more than 3,000 students throughout the nation to compete in 55 different competitions, including live events.

National success follows state-wide victories. Earlier this year, at the statewide FBLA-PBL conference in Orlando, FIU won top awards, including three first- and one second-place finishes. Panthers took honors in 15 categories at the state level.

In the coming year, Estrada said, FIU’s FBLA chapter will introduce several new activities, including competitions in cost accounting, business sustainability and personal finance, all of which will be open to students at other FIU colleges and schools. The group will also leverage contacts made at the national conference with other colleges of business to develop partnerships.

– Ellen Forman