TU teams take top prizes at GovCup

Teams took home the top prizes in both High Growth divisions.

By LAURIE WINSLOW World Business Writer

Some top business plans helped propel teams from the University of Tulsa to first place in a couple of divisions in the 10th annual Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup competition for Oklahoma college students.

Teams were honored Thursday during a gala awards dinner held at the Bricktown Events Center in Oklahoma City.

For the competition, student teams had to identify a concept, research the market, write a business plan and present it to judges. Winners emerged from two days of oral competition last week at the Oklahoma City offices of i2E Inc., which manages the event.

For the second consecutive year, TU teams swept first place in both High Growth divisions, with each winning a $20,000 cash prize.

The top winner in the High Growth Graduate Division was AeroHead from TU, which wrote a business plan around an innovative putter and bladed cartridge, which is inserted into the head of the club to create overspin on a golf ball for increased accuracy when putting.

AeroHead team leader Philip McCoy won $1,000 for delivering a winning pitch. Other team members were Se Yeon Kim, Bryan Kinzer, Kristina Merkle, Gann Swan and Yang Zhao and faculty adviser Steven Tipton.

In the High Growth Undergraduate Division, the $20,000 first place went to TU’s Owlpal Healthcare with a technology for diagnosing and monitoring asthma in children at night. Owlpal team leader was Jordy Albert and team member was MacKenzie Ward. Claire Cornell was faculty adviser.

Valoshade of TU won second place and $10,000 in the High Growth Undergraduate division.

Also, MacKenzie Ward from TU and Samantha Slater from Rogers State University each won $5,000 Oklahoma Business Roundtable Paulsen Award scholarships.

Laurie Winslow 918-581-8466 laurie.winslow@tulsaworld.com