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Get a sneak peek of our ACG Cup video here! Captured by Boldly Told Video, we look forward to sharing more clips as they are available.
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We extend our sincere gratitude for every competitor who took part in our ACG Cup 2023 competition this year. The dedication and hard work put into every presentation was evident, as was the commitment to your teammates. WELL DONE to each and every competitor! |
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![]() Is your team traveling in for our Networking Reception and/or our Competition and need some lodging? We've got a partial listing of hotels in downtown Grand Rapids and near the Gerald R. Ford International Airport -- and we'll have a travel subsidy form for teams available after the competition ends. That form will be available here and by emailing acgcup@acgwmich.org. Rules about the travel subsidy will be spelled out completely on the reimbursement form, but in a nutshell, **eligible teams** traveling in to Grand Rapids for ACG Cup 2023 events -- including the Friday evening Networking Reception and the ACG Cup 2023 Competition -- can apply for travel expense reimbursement up to $300 per team. TRAVEL SUBSIDY FORM -- FOR USE AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE ACG CUP 2023 COMPETITION |
Need a few quick FAQs about the general competition this year? We've got some answers for you! ACG Cup 2023 General FAQs
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Our next ACG Cup Competition is coming up! Image
![]() Download/print our February competition calendar, as shown below, HERE: Image
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ACG Cup is an intercollegiate competition among business school students from colleges and universities across the nation. Retaining and recruiting talent in West Michigan is a major objective of the Cup competition for AC's Western Michigan Chapter. During competition, students analyze complex business cases and present strategies involving merger and acquisition alternatives, valuation, capital markets, finance options, and corporate strategy. Student participants gain invaluable experience in a real-world context, receive feedback from leaders in the local business community, and create networks, all while competing for CASH! Image
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We know the ACG Cup Competition is the number one driver of new and diverse talent for potential employers. And we know that the ACG Cup Competition offers a unique array of employment options for our competitors. In the spirit of engaging the maximumum number of student competitors across the Great Lakes, we're welcoming Midwestern ACG Chapter partners who are committed to bring the maximum value to student competitors in their home regions. We're excited to welcome back into our partnership ACG Minnesota and welcome a new partnership with ACG Detroit! This partnership will allow maximum cross-exposure to and of the bright new talent that the ACG Cup competition routinely draws to our region. Learn more about our Partner Chapters by clicking on their logos below!
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See our quick FAQs for Students and Professors here or by clicking our FAQ button to the right! |
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Attention Teams: Be sure to whitelist the email address "acgcup@acgwmich.org" so you don't miss important communications about our competition!
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![]() **Participation in the competition, including eligibility and payment of any cash prize, is subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations of all relevant jurisdictions. |
Credit Analyst - Full Time |
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Meet the faces of the next generation of talent! Connect with them at our Networking Reception and at our ACG Cup 2023 Competition! |
Raymond Abbaduska | Mohammed Abdelqader |
Madeleine Alber |
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![]() Carter Anderson |
Mariano Arroyo | |
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Nikhil Bondale |
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Nick Browning |
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Noah Buys |
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Lucas Czopek |
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![]() Logan Davolt-Vana |
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Manasvi Jain |
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Haley Johnson | Carly Jordan |
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Myah Kelly |
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Alaina Koster |
Qiaoyang Kuang | Tom Lanzi |
Owen Laverty |
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Grace Lee |
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Tom Lobert |
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Haoesen Ma |
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Thomas McGarrity |
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Ryan Nichols | Mark Neuman |
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Katie Peal |
Ethan Petz |
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Marina Rivera | Zach Roberts | Chanelle Robinson |
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Phillip Thoma |
Mitchell VanderMeer |
Jake VanderPloeg | Alex Varady | Andrew Veldman |
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Cody Whiren
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Jingqing Zhou | Nick Zhu |
The following list is comprised of colleges and universities that have participated in our competition in the recent past. As we continue to grow our competition, we are eager to expand the list of competing institutions. Click on any college or university logo below to learn more about their business program offerings.
If your institution is taking part for the first time in 2023, email ACG Staff at acgcup@acgwmich.org and we'll add you to this list!
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![]() Teams must submit ten (10) hard copies of presentation materials. Please see requirements for your team's choice -- in-person or virtual presentation -- below.Image
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![]() Blake Bachelor, Team Financial Group |
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Drew Boatright, Strategies Wealth |
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Alex Drost, Connection Builders |
Luke Ens, Aspen Surgical |
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Stephanie Voogt, Mercantile Bank |
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Eric Smith, Charter Capital Partners |
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Nick Van Loo, Raymond James |
Our Finance Feud Trivia Night returned on Thursday, November 10, 2022, where we crowned Team BDO Tic Tax our winners! Congrats to all trivia contestants! Image
![]() Finance Feud is a fundraising event to support ACG Cup. Held in the autumn preceding the Cup competition, Finance Feud presents a fun way for teams in business and related industries to try to one-up each other in a friendly trivia competition. This fun, high-energy trivia night pits teams from accounting and law firms as well as corporations and universities against one another. The winning team takes home the Victorious Hulk trophy and bragging rights for the next year. |
The Valuation Seminar offers an introduction to M&A from different perspectives including, a Private Equity Group that uses the Leverage Buy-Out (LBO) methodology to acquire companies, and the Strategic Buyer that could use all cash or stock to acquire companies. The seminar focuses on theoretical and technical approaches to valuation, as well as qualitative factors that influence the value of a company. Valuation Seminar proves instrumental in understanding the ins and outs of M&A from different perspectives, and it also provides participants the opportunity to network with other students and ACG members.
The Valuation Seminar is free to attend for any competing student, professor/advisor, and ACG Western Michigan Chapter members. This winter's Valuation Seminar will be held virtually on Friday, February 10, 2023, from 1- 3:30 PM Eastern Time. The Valuation Seminar presents an interactive program to help our competitors understand how to approach this year's case. In that vein, this year we will once again offer a hybrid model of on-demand video clips and live presentations to encourage participation and questions. Non-competitors who wish to attend our Valuation Seminar to enhance their understanding and/or practice may register for a fee.
Registration for our 2023 Valuation Seminar is CLOSED. Thank you to our presenters and all who attended!
Individuals from Cup teams are encouraged to attend and must register; there is no charge for competitors or professors to attend, Use the red registration button above, or click on the green "Register Here" graphic above.
Want to know more about why you should attend the Valuation Seminar? Learn more with our Valuation Seminar FAQs |
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All registered teams and their professors/advisors are invited to join us for a pre-event networking reception in downtown Grand Rapids on Friday, February 24, 2023. Attendance will ensure you meet competition judges, advisors, career conversation representatives, ACG Western Michgian Board and Cup Committee members, and generally mix and mingle among ACG Cup competitors. |
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![]() 4:30 PM - 7:00 PM Appetizers, drinks, NETWORKING |
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Need to know more about how it'll work? Learn more with our Image
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During Career Conversations, student competitors meet one-on-one with company leads and decision makers looking for new talent. This year we're presenting Career Conversations in a new, informal format that will allow for face-to-face networking between ACG Cup participants and members of our business community. Competitors will be able to meet and greet judges, advisors, and others at our Friday evening reception on February 24. Our Networking Reception will be held in downtown Grand Rapids at the HOME Venue insideThe BOB (Big Old Building). Attendance is free for ACG Cup competitors, their professors, our volunteer judges, and company representatives. Watch for our registration link for this must-attend event! FOR COMPETITORS |
See the list of participating companies and firms that competitors can make a plan to meet at this year's Networking Reception. Click on any logo to learn more about the company as a whole, and click the PDF company description to see what you can expect to learn from our Career Conversation representatives at the Networking Reception!
Some companies and firms that have hired a Cup competitor in the recent past are included here. Click to view their websites for more information about what sort of opportunities could await you!
Adamy Valuation | BDO USA, LLP | Blackford Capital | Calder Capital |
Charter Capital Partners | Connection Builders | Crowe LLP | DWH |
Mercantile Bank of Michigan | NuVescor | Waseyabek Development Company |
Introducing ACG Cup Advisors
Feedback matters. Professional feedback about how a team can strengthen their presentation or points to address can teach our competitors so much. That's why this year, we're introducing a team of ACG Cup Advisors -- lead judges from each group who will offer follow-up guidance to our Round One winners. After receiving feedback from our judges on your team's presentation, each team advancing beyond Round One will receive fifteen minutes of time from an ACG Cup Advisor in a one-on-one session to help them use their feedback to strengthen their Final Round presentation. Meet our 2023 ACG Cup Advisors now!
Brandon Derusha
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Loic Dimithe
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Alex Drost
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Matt Fegan
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Jennifer Folsom
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Scott Harris
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Peter Lozicki
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David Nemes
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Jon Siebers
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Bob Stead
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Jimmy TenBrink
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Our judges' combined experience and expertise in M&A, valuation, and financial products allows them to help simulate a real-world experience for our competitors. Judges come from our business community and volunteer their time and talent to make our competition a success. Our Judges' Lead, Megan Odegaard, works with Cup Committee members to recruit and guide our judges through competition scoring and training. Megan is supported by committee members Caleb Pols and Krista Flynn, who help our judges navigate the Cup Competition. Learn more about the Judges' Support team HERE.
Our volunteer judges come from our business community and provide our competitors with real connections to their industries. They are professionals who dedicate their time to ensuring the ACG Cup competition is a well-rounded experience and we are so thankful for them. Please select the bios below to learn more about the professionals who volunteer their time and talents to judge our competition. |
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Chelsea Austin |
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![]() Jenna Bellovich Northern Trust |
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Chris Boyd |
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Jason Brinks |
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Loic Dimithe |
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Jake Droppers |
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Alex Drost |
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Matt Fegan |
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Brett Filush |
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Jennifer Folsom |
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Larry Gardner |
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Alena Golovchenko |
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Nick Good |
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Brian Hamilton |
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Scott Harris |
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Heather Hoezee |
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Doug Holtrop |
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Ryan Hoogstra |
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Rabih Jamal |
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Justin Karl |
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Paula Kendra |
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Peter Lozicki |
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Mike Malaga |
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Alison Mast |
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Matt Miller |
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David Nemes |
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Kelly Plawinski |
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Nick Prior |
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Patrick Robey |
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John Ruther |
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![]() Steve Savoy Hilco Global |
Jon Siebers |
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Phil Smith |
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Kent Snyder |
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Bob Stead |
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Mark Streekstra |
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Jimmy TenBrink |
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Aaron VanSoest |
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Erika Weiss |
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Mike Wolf |
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Meet the Committee Meet members of the ACG Cup Committete that makes our ACG Cup Competition possible! Click on the button to view our Committee roster in magazine form, or look at each member's bio below.
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![]() Chloe Benzer, Crowe Liaison Lead |
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![]() Gunther Brinkman, Snackwerks Liaison Lead |
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![]() eather Edwards, PAR ACG Cup Organizer |
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![]() Matt Fegan, EHTC Finance Feud Lead |
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![]() Eric Fischer, BDO USA Liaison Support |
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Krista Flynn, PNC Bank |
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Ashley Gray, DTE Energy |
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![]() Jake Helwick, Adamy Valuation Chair |
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![]() Todd McGuire, Plante Moran Valuation Seminar Lead |
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![]() Megan Odegaard, BDO USA Co-Chair, Judges' Lead |
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![]() Nathan Olberding, Adamy Valuation Valuation Seminar Lead |
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![]() Caleb Pols, TriCoast Advisors Past-Chair; Judges' Support |
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ACG Cup 2023 Sponsor |
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