School of Business at SUNY New Paltz hosts investment competition

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SUNY New Paltz Investment Competition

NEW PALTZ, NY (12/13/2013)(readMedia)-- The School of Business at SUNY New Paltz held its 2013 investment competition on Wednesday, Dec. 4 from 2 to 4 p.m. in van den Berg Hall.

Students enrolled in Professor Ronald Furman's Investment Initiative course compete every year in the competition, presenting their semester-long project of actively trading stocks and creating an investment portfolio to a panel of judges. Each team of students is judged on appearance, selection of investments in the portfolio, quality of the presentation, strategy used, and performance of the portfolio.

The panel of judges for this year's competition included Adam Stumer '89, New York Stock Exchange; Akram Ibrahim, Hudson Valley CPA'S PLLC; Leonard Boccia, Wells Fargo Advisors; Irene Berner, Berner Financial Services; and Edward Lane, Lane Asset Management.

"The competition allows business students to participate in a unique course that can tremendously influence their career path for a bright future," said Berner, a returning judge. "I have a lot of respect for those students that choose this elective course. I have no doubt they will be successful."

Jennifer DeWitt ('14), New Paltz, N.Y. and Clinton Kelly ('14), Bronx, N.Y. were awarded the first place prize of $200 each. The second place prize, $100 per student, went to Mike Jacobsen ('14), Guilford, Conn and Sam Zuffante ('14), Port Washington, N.Y. Both teams will also be taking a trip to the New York Stock Exchange.

Moving forward, Professor Furman and Chih-Yang Tsai, the interim dean of the School of Business, hope to establish a scholarship that would allow students to trade using real money in the future.

The students who participated in this year's competition are Nadezhda Cranganu ('14), Newburgh, N.Y.; Jarred Slatky ('14), Massapequa Park, N.Y.; Jason Duffy ('13), Kingston, N.Y.; Jennifer DeWitt ('14), New Paltz, N.Y.; Clinton Kelly ('14), Bronx, N.Y.; Mike Jacobsen ('14), Guilford, Conn; Sam Zuffante ('14), Port Washington, N.Y.; Kelly Pry ('14), Ravena, N.Y.; Nicole Myles ('13), Bayville, N.Y.; Daniela Surdo ('15), Far Rockaway, N.Y.; Tom Volpe ('14), East Islip, N.Y.; Dan Dragunat ('15), Nesconset, N.Y.; and Josh Clink ('13), Greene, N.Y.