Samford University Brock School of Business students recently participated in the Intercollegiate Insurance Sales (Case Study) Competition hosted by Florida State University where they finished 2nd in the nation. This is the third consecutive year that a Samford team has advanced to the finals of this prestigious competition. Sixteen teams from Illinois State, Temple University, University of Georgia, Florida State University, Olivet University, Troy University, University of North Carolina Charlotte, University of Iowa and Samford University competed.
The competition involves building and selling a commercial P&C insurance program for a hypothetical business. Samford had two student teams in the competition including Isaac Twit and Elliott Wesses, and John Meadows and Jake Wilson, all of which are enrolled in the risk management and insurance (RMI) concentration as part of their pursuit of careers in that industry.
Meadows commented on this pivotal experience and said, “The fact we not only competed but came out in second makes me really excited for where Samford’s RMI program is heading. If I were an underclassman, I would be chomping at the bit to be in this program."
These students were mentored by risk management and insurance industry professionals such as Todd Fredella, senior vice president at BKS Partners; Doug Eckert, executive vice president and chief administrative officer at Hoar Construction; Gary Cooney, vice chairman at McGriff, Seibels & Williams; and Steve Davis. They were coached by Brock School of Business associate professors Rusty Yerkes and Clif Eason. Yerkes said, “This program allows the students to use their risk management and insurance knowledge and practice their professional consultative needs based selling skills all while working with industry and faculty mentors.”
As the risk management and insurance program continues to flourish in Brock School of Business, Samford University reaffirms its status and prepares future business leaders to excel in any professional endeavor they undertake.
