Strategic and Global Management Students at SUNY Potsdam Take Home Prize in College Competition
Diana Vashchenko '26, Luis Tito ‘26, Adrianna Orlando ‘27, Jayden Murphy ‘27, Matthew Mapes ’27 and Jaidan Kertenis ‘26 pose with the winning trophy after winning the 64th Business Plan Competition at SUNY Potsdam.
SUNY Potsdam’s Department of Business Administration recently hosted its 64th Business Plan Competition, which challenges students to develop an entrepreneurial business plan fulfilling the need of a specific group of consumers.
Four teams in the capstone Strategic and Global Management class spent the fall semester developing a business plan and original product pitch, starting from scratch. The competition was introduced in 1993 by Professor Dr. Edwin J. Portugal (Hon. ’23), to give business administration students the opportunity to work intensively and collaboratively in teams to create a real-life business plan. The teams present their final strategic business plans in front of external judges, who take the role of venture capitalists.
This semester’s winning team included:
- Jaiden Kertenis ’26 of Hampden, MA
- Matthew Mapes ’27 of Colorado Springs, CO
- Jayden Murphy ’27 of North Babylon, NY
- Adrianna Orlando ’27 of Baldwinsville, NY
- Luis Lucena e Vale Correia Tito ’26 of Mamaroneck, NY
- Diana Vashchenko ’26 of Cherkasy, Ukraine
Three teams spent the entire semester researching potential new products with a clear market and making sure they can do better than competitors. They had to decide on pricing, profitability, sales, and demand for their unique products. The winning team, who dubbed themselves the “Glowing Gold Glorifiers,” invented an innovative product called Polar Pack, combining the practicality of a Koozie with a secret compartment for personal essentials while spending time on the beach.
“The competition showcases the students’ semester-long team project that applies what they have learned in the foundation business courses in accounting, finance, marketing, management, human resources, information systems, legal environment, and business operations,” said Dr. Portugal. “Students develop teamwork, public speaking, innovative thinking, facing uncertain decision making, and coordinating their unique talents.”
“This impressive display of student proficiency reflects the mentorship of Dr. Edwin Portugal, whose pedagogical expertise energizes students to synthesize complex business disciplines into cohesive, real-world solutions. Such excellence embodies SUNY Potsdam’s strategic commitment to fostering leadership and creative development through high-impact learning strategies within rigorous, collaborative learning environments,” said Interim Dean of the School of Education and Professional Studies James Cruikshank ’92 & ’97, who served as a judge.
“What I love about this competition is that it prevents a group from hiding behind a screen to make the presentation more authentic. It takes courage to stand in front of peers and judges to present innovative products under stress,” said Josh Stokes ’09, who served as an external judge and is the SUNY Potsdam volleyball head coach. “All three groups showed true imagination, dedication, and clear plans for their products. They are all extremely innovative. Team Glowing Gold Glorifiers presented a unique product with a strong sales pitch performance that caught the attention of the judges from start to finish. Dr. Ed Portugal does create future business leaders.”
“I was very impressed by the students of the class. Producing an innovative project, as well as a detailed business plan, in a semester time frame is outstanding. It was remarkable how well each of the groups were able to come together as a team to deliver such creative and thoughtful work. The winning team impressed me with their level of preparation and enthusiasm,” said Associate Professor of English Dr. Jessica Heffner, another of the judges.
“Developing a product and business plan is definitely challenging, but working with such a driven and supportive team made the entire experience so rewarding. Through this, I not only built meaningful friendships, but also met people I could genuinely see myself working with in the future to turn Polar Pack into something real,” said Jaidan Kertenis ’26. “This experience made me even more excited to pursue entrepreneurship and continue exploring new ideas with real potential. I’m really proud of the effort, creativity and dedication everyone brought to this project. A sincere thank you to Dr. Portugal for the opportunity and guidance throughout this journey.”
“This semester-long project was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had at SUNY Potsdam. After competing earlier this semester in the International Business Ethics and Sustainability Case Competition, I felt much more prepared and confident going into competition day for Strategic and Global Management. That experience helped me think more critically under pressure and better understand what it takes to succeed in a competitive environment,” said Matthew Mapes ’27. “Our team worked extremely well together throughout the entire semester while developing Polar Pack, and everyone stayed motivated, communicated effectively, and pushed each other to improve every part of the project. Looking back, I’m proud of what we accomplished and grateful to Dr. Portugal for creating a challenging but meaningful experience that helped us grow both professionally and personally.”
"Inventing the Polar Pack with a dedicated team of professionals was a great privilege I won’t forget or take for granted. The team fell in love with the idea of the Koozie and decided to bring it to life in such a way that it could provide both convenience and simplicity for everyday use. The team worked efficiently regarding deadlines, transparency and collaboration to ensure that we can succeed at the highest level possible. Having two other teammates who I competed and won another competition with in Los Angeles on our team benefitted us because it inserted that winning confidence we had going into the 64th Strategic Business Plan Competition,” said Jayden Murphy ’27. “Winning was an incredible accomplishment, but the relationships I built, lessons I learned, and experiences I gained throughout the competition are what I will value the most moving forward.”
“Preparing for the Strategic Business Plan Competition was definitely intense, and our team put in a lot of time working on our prototype while making sure all 13 components of the business plan made sense together. Polar Pack was successful because all six of us believed in the idea from day one, and were fully committed to it. On top of that, we spent a lot of time practicing for our final presentation as a whole group so that we would be confident and prepared on competition day,” said Adrianna Orlando ’27.
“During the actual competition, we were all super engaged, enthusiastic and proud of each other while presenting, which really showed in our delivery to the judges. The judges could tell we genuinely believed in our product, and it was a great feeling to see everything come together. I’m extremely proud of our group and everything we accomplished with Polar Pack.”
“Working on Polar Pack was one of the best team experiences I’ve had. What started as a class project turned into something way more meaningful, as we became close friends while building such a creative and practical product together. I truly feel like I built a team for a lifetime, not just for this assignment. Everyone brought different strengths to the table, and that’s what made our idea so strong and well-rounded,” said Luis Tito ’26, who was a co-team manager. “Creating Polar Pack together made the whole process more exciting and rewarding. I really hope we get the chance to collaborate again in the future, whether it’s on another project or something bigger.”
“Winning with Polar Pack is a big blessing, but it’s really just the visible result of all the work, late nights and constant support we gave each other along the way. As a team manager, I got to see our team evolve and each person step into their potential. I’m proud of what we achieved, but even more proud of how we achieved it. In the end, the biggest prize Polar Pack gave me was my team,” said Diana Vashchenko ’26, who was a co-team manager. “This experience proved that when the right people come together, you can build something that actually matters. Special thanks to Dr. Ed. Portugal—without his support and guidance, none of this would have been possible.”
SUNY Potsdam’s Department of Business Administration offers flexible bachelor’s and master’s degrees in competitive fields, and provides students with an understanding of how for-profit and non-profit organizations function efficiently and effectively in the global marketplace. The College offers its undergraduate business administration program both at the Potsdam campus and in Watertown, N.Y., at Jefferson Community College. Its Master of Science program in management is offered 100 percent online, to serve graduate students around the world. For more information, visit www.potsdam.edu/academics/SOEPS/BusinessAdmin.
About SUNY Potsdam:
Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America’s first 50 colleges—and the oldest institution within SUNY. Now in its third century, SUNY Potsdam is distinguished by a legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its challenging liberal arts and sciences core, distinction in teacher training and culture of creativity. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu.