Krannert students win international business competition
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A team of four students from Purdue University's Krannert School of Management won first place at Rubicon 2011, an international case competition for business students.
The contest, a business plan competition, was held earlier this month in Iserlohn, Germany.
The Krannert group was one of 24 teams composed of 96 students from 30 countries.
The topic of this year's competition was the future of mobility. The Krannert team, called the "ChangeMakers," survived four rounds of competition to take home the top prize. Team members are:
* Karan Ahuja, who will complete work on a bachelor's degree with a double major in electrical engineering and management in December. He is a native of Mumbai, India, and has interned with Landis & Gyr in Lafayette and IOL Netcom in India. He is president of Delta Sigma Pi, a professional fraternity, and was community service chair of Eta Kappa Nu, an honor society.
* Philip Lu, who has a bachelor's degree from Krannert and will earn his MBA in May. He worked as a technology risk consultant with Protiviti, and has interned with several companies, including Caterpillar, Rolls-Royce and Clarian Health Partners. He has served as vice president for several Krannert clubs, and is an MBA program mentor.
* Thomas Trachtman, who is studying under a program that will allow him to earn his bachelor's degree and MBA in five years. He'll graduate in May. He has interned with Lands' End, Boeing and Angie's List. He has been president of Iron Key honor society and serves as a graduate assistant for the Krannert Executive Forum.
* Matt Barlett, who also is studying under the same bachelor's/master's program and will graduate in May 2012. He has interned with Global Supply Chain Group in Australia and Heinz North America, and has additional study abroad experience in China and Taiwan. He is vice president of public relations for the Purdue Foundation Student Board.
The team members have more than 15 case competitions among them. A Purdue team took second in the Rubicon competition last year.
Writer: Judith Barra Austin, 765-494-2432, jbaustin@purdue.edu
Source: Tim Newton, Krannert School of Management, 765-496-7271, tnewton@purdue.edu