ACG Cup 2024 - Competition Details

All you need to know heading into this February's competition!

 

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ACG Cup 2024 has concluded -- THANK YOU to all competitors, volunteer judges and wranglers, and our Career Conversations representatives that made this year one for the record books!!

Read our post-competition Press Release!

On Saturday, February 24, 2024, 29 teams from 14 colleges and universities across the nation gathered at Grand Valley State University's Seidman College of Business to compete for the ACG Cup. 


Culled from 29 teams at 14 colleges and universities across the country, these students rallied to make it to our Final Round -- well done, all!

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Champion photo
L-R: Corinne Sleeter, Jackson Raymond, Carolina Hernandez Ruiz & Lucy Forlastro
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Runner up team photo
L-R: Kurtis Montsma, Kevin Caballero, Andis Klavins, Jacob Newton & Mitchell Hopkins
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Finalist team photo
L-R: Jonathan DeBruine, Justin Johnson, Christopher Sharrar, Jace Copeland & Blake Buchanan
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Finalist team photo
L-R: Matthew Muller, Ian Schlagel, Luke Hollister & Tom Lanzi
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Finalist team photo
L-R: Derek Ballas, Joshua DuCharme, Bradley Berk & James Strahan

 

 
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L-R: Devon Dyer, Curtis Ouillette, Luke Kalavitz & Michael Wisniewski
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L-R: Tyler Ozanich, Mark-Allen Gay, Spencer Messina & Ryan Hampton
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Video captured and provided by Boldy Told Video, 2023.
 

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 Looking for some FAQs about Cup and what the competition can mean for you? We've got some answers for you! Just click our FAQs button to the left to learn more. 

 

Wondering why you should compete? Take a look at some of these reasons! 
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IMPORTANT
Dates & Details
Student Info &
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Requirements
The RULES

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Rewards Sample Case 

 

Info for Professors
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Finance
Feud

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Reception

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MEET THE JUDGES
 
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MEET OUR
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Our
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About ACG Cup    
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when

December 8, 2023 -
February 24, 2024
 
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where

Reception, 2/23:
Mercantile Bank
Community Room
301 Leonard Street, NW
Grand Rapids, MI
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Competition, 2/24:
Seidman College
of Business @ GVSU 
50 Front Avenue, SW
Grand Rapids, MI
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 IMPORTANT DATES: All times are Eastern Standard Time (EST)
The 2024 ACG Cup Competition timeline is here! Every effort will be made to keep dates as they are; times may change slightly. Mark your calendar now!
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Learn more with our ACG Cup FAQs here! 

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 ACG'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 meaningful networks.

ACG Western Michigan is known for bringing together a robust and diverse group of students representing teams from around our state and the nation. For 2024, we invite teams from across the Midwest and beyond to compete in person at Grand Valley State University's Seidman College of Business. We'll also host a networking reception the evening before our competition so teams can make new connections to the West Michigan business community and                                                                                        judges taking part in ACG Cup.

 

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One Competition! The ACG Cup competition will be held as a single competition open to all students who are currently registered at least half-time at participating colleges and universities during the 2023 - 2024 academic year. Participants are generally finance, accounting, marketing, international business, general business, supply chain, operations, and management majors, and teams may be comprised a mix of undergraduate and graduate students, or teams may be comprised of solely undergraduate or solely graduate students. There will be no separate divisions for undergraduates and graduate students. 

Recent graduates: Teams may have no more than one member who has recently obtained their undergraduate degree from the same college/university. This means students who graduate with their undergraduate degrees in December 2023 may compete with classmates who are still enrolled at the time of the competition.

Competition Format: Our 2024 competition will only be held in person. 

Team Capacity: We once again have a 49-team capacity, so encourage your classmates to form teams of their own.

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Prizes: The winning team will take home a cash prize of $6,000 plus each team advancing to the Final Round will receive and invitation to have dinner with ACG Cup judges, company representatives, or sponsors. 

Team Size: Each team, regardless of makeup, must consist of at least three members and no more than five members. To be considered for the competition, teams must finalize team registration by 1:00 PM EST on Feburary 8, 2024. (See "The Rules" and "How to Register" sections for more detailed information on competition parameters.) Reach out to ACG Cup staff if your team has concerns with registration timing or team size; we are here to help you succeed!

The Case: The case study simulates a real-world business situation offering students a learning perspective that diverges from textbook examples. Faculty advisors are encouraged to provide guidance to students prior to the case being released to students, but after the case is released, professors are prohibited from offering advice, critiques, or detailed solutions after the case materials are distributed.

SAMPLE CASE ACCESS 
Sample Case for Student Review: See this past ACG Cup Case as an example to help your team understand the scope of work involved in the competition. This case was written by and is the property of ACG Western Michigan and contains no answers and is provided strictly for enhancing understanding of the competition.

Student Investment Clubs: Are you part of a student investment club and want someone to come and speak about ACG Cup? Contact ACG Cup Coordinator at hedwards@acg.org and we'll be sure to put your club in contact with our liaisons.

 

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We'll provide professors with Cup Updates -- newsletters that will let you know about how the competition is shaping up -- throughout the competition season as details are cemented and confirmed. Cup Updates will be emailed to professors and will be available here.
 

Cup Update No. 1: 9/5/2023 Cup Update No 2: 11/21/2023  
Cup Update No. 3: 12/8/2023 Cup Update No. 4: 1/22/2024   
Cup Update No. 5: 2/9/2024     
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PARTICIPANT BENEFITS:

  • Cash prizes!**
    • The winning team will receive a $6,000 cash prize; and
    • Each team advancing to the Final Round (including the winning team) will receive an invitation to have dinner with ACG Cup judges, company representatives, or competition sponsors.
  • Exposure to the mergers and acquisitions industry across Michigan and the Midwest
  • Participation in Career Conversations with leading companies at our Networking Reception
  • Understanding of Michigan's diverse finance industries
  • Opportunity to network with competition judges and representatives from the business community
  • Opportunity to share a resume via our website
  • Opportunity to gain valuable, real-life skills in mergers and acquisitions: This kind of exposure and training in M&A is not found anywhere else!

**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.

 

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The following list is comprised of colleges and universities that participated in our most recent 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 2024, email ACG Staff and we'll add you to this list!
 

 
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MSU logo
 
 
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  Meet some of the ACG Cup participants from last year and see what they have to say about how the competition impacted them.
 
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Our online Competitor Resume Gallery is the place company representatives and judges can view all competitor bona fides and headshots. We'll make it easy for talent scouts from our business community to connect with participants you might have met at this winter's competition! (Teams who submit complete registrations will receive an email link to submit current resumes and headshots.)

Click the Competitor Resume Gallery icon below to see who's competing this year!   

 

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  1. Teams may be comprised a mix of undergraduate and graduate students, or teams may be comprised of solely undergraduate or solely graduate students. There will be no separate divisions for undergraduates and graduate students -- every team will compete for one overall winning title.
  2. Teams shall be made up of three to five members from the same institution who will present the case study in all rounds of competition for which they are eligible; schools are encouraged to register at least two teams in the competition and may have a maximum of five teams per institution..
  3. Teams must appoint a Team Captain for ease of communication. The Team Captain will receive communication regarding submittal of competition materials. The Team Captain will also be responsible for the team's entry fee if a main contact (professor/instructor) is not identified. Team fee invoices will be sent after registration closes on February 8, 2024.
  4.  No institution shall register more than five teams.
  5. Participating students must be officially registered at least half-time at participating schools during the 2023-2024 academic year. Caveat for recent graduates: Teams may have no more than one member who has recently obtained their undergraduate degree from the same college/university. This means students who graduate in December 2023 may compete with classmates who are still enrolled at the time of the competition.
  6. Teams shall register for the competition no later than 1:00 PM EST on Thursday, February 8, 2024. In order for teams to submit competition materials on February 24, teams must be pre-registered. 
  7. Teams must have team names; names may NOT reference the students' school/university in any way, formal or informal. Teams not adhering to this requirement will be excluded from competition and no refunds will be issuedACG Staff will alert teams with problematic names as soon as possible to avoid delays.
  8. Teams may NOT use outside resources to prepare the case study for the competition. They may only use the materials made available to them with the case study. Any deviation from this will result in disqualification.
  9. Teams will be placed into judging groups randomly. Depending on the size of the competition and the number of teams from each institution, teams from the same college/university might compete with one another.
  10. Students may seek general finance understanding, presentation training, and mentoring from faculty, ACG members, ACG Cup Committee members, and outside resources before the case is distributed. They may also use preparation materials located in their course pack. Teams are encouraged to view all materials available in our on-demand Valuation Seminar to better understand the intricacies of the case. 
  11. Once the case has been distributed, teams may not enlist help from outside the team, including from professors, for any aspects specific to the competition case.

 

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All teams must prepare the following for competition day (February 24):

  1. Hard copy handouts detailing each team's case evaluation. Each team must provide copies of presentation materials to judges in their competition groups. Teams are encouraged to have 12-15 copies of materials for use in Round One and the Final Round, if applicable.
  2. All materials must be submitted in the English language.
  3. All team members must take part in the presentation.
  4. Teams must have team names; names may NOT reference the students' school/university in any way, formal or informal. Teams not adhering to this requirement will be excluded from competition and no refunds will be issued
  5. Teams must appoint a Team Captain for ease of communication. The Team Captain will receive communication regarding submittal of competition materials. The Team Captain will also be responsible for the team's entry fee if a main contact (professor/instructor) is not identified on the team's registration form.
  6. Team attire shall consist of business wear, and shall NOT showcase any particular college/university affiliation (e.g., necktie, scarf, lapel pin, etc.) 
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Registration for the ACG Cup 2024 Competition is CLOSED. 
ACG Western Michigan staff will confirm each registration and deliver next steps to each team.

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  • The cost to participate in the 2024 competition is $125 per team. ACG Staff will invoice the individual identified as the team's main contact or professor/advisor indicated on the registration form. Teams will be invoiced after team registration closes on February 8; prompt payment is appreciated. ACG Staff has the ability to bundle team registration fees and invoice your department or liaison directly.

  • Each institution is limited to sending five (5) teams per division to the ACG Cup competition.

  • Student competitors, professors, or student services associates may register teams. ACG Staff can assist if questions arise.

  • Each College/University is encouraged to assign a faculty member to work with the ACG Cup liaison and the appropriate student organizations within their institution. A student representative may also act a Cup competition contact and assist in disseminating information. 

    • E-mail ACG Staff to share your contact information and to receive information regarding ACG Cup liaisons to your institution.

  • Promote the competition to encourage student participation. ACG Staff will share promotional language for email and social media as it becomes available.

  • Provide or facilitate training and mentoring for the student teams.

  • Distribute information on forming teams and working the case study.

  • Encourage teams to review on-demand materials in our ACG Cup Resource Library.

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ACG Western Michigan has developed a system of liaisons to assist you and your students in awareness and promotion of the Cup competition. Our team of liaisons is headed by a past Cup competitor who understands all facets of the competition and is ready to help answer your questions, deliver important information for your teams, and guide you through the process. Liaisons listed below are tasked with outreach to the college and universities we see most years. They may or may not be alumni of those institutions, but they've pledged to help you and your students learn about the competition. Learn more about our 2024 Cup liaisons below and reach out if you'd like a liaison to visit your classroom or student investment club.

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Gunther Brinkman,
The Baking Company LLC
Liaison Lead
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Blake Bachelor
Team Financial Group
Central Michigan University
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Theron Barbour
Independent Bank
Michigan State University
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Jacob BegemanEHTC
Western Michigan University
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Jenna BellovichNorthern Trust
Hope College
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Drew BoatrightInnovia Wealth
Davenport University
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Jovan ContrerasMercantile Bank
Grand Valley State University
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Dave Cook, Rehmann
Calvin University
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Alex DrostConnection Builders
Northwood University; Walsh College
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Luke Ens, Aspen Surgical
Hillsdale College
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Emerson Fisher, 
Cascade Partners
Kalamazoo College
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Ashley Gray, ArtiFlex Manufacturing
Walsh College, Wayne State
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Charlotte Kerr, Mercantile Bank
Aquinas College
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Caleb PolsTriCoast Advisors
Ferris State University
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Nick Van LooRaymond James
Grand Valley State University
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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 trophy and bragging rights for the next year.  

                                                             Read on for the results of the 2023 Finance Feud!
 

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Charter Capital Partners' team: SBF's Perm took home the trophies.
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Mercantile Bank's team: Take a Rate Hike won best team name.
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BDO's team: Tic Tax were the night's biggest losers.
 

This year's Finance Feud teams participated from the West Michigan firms and organizations listed below. Find out more about each of them now.

Adamy Valuation BDO, LLP Charter Capital Partners Crowe
DWH EHTC Macatawa Bank Mercantile Bank of Michigan
Miller Johnson Plante Moran PNC Warner Norcross + Judd
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Our Valuation Seminar is now our ACG Cup RESOURCE LIBRARY!
Historically, our annual Valuation Seminar has offered an introduction to M&A from different perspectives. Seminar lesson focus on theoretical and technical approaches to valuation, as well as qualitative factors that influence the value of a company. Valuation Seminar materials have proven instrumental in understanding the ins and outs of M&A from different perspectives.

For the past three years, we've held our Valuation Seminar on virtual platforms the same day the competition case is released. In 2024, we're giving you that Friday back to get to work on your case and have the ability to review Valuation Seminar materials on your own schedule. We're offering all elements of our popular Valuation Seminar session in an on-demand format only. Once your team registers, you'll receive access to our complete library, which contains videos on M&A methodologies, private equity lessons, personal branding/networking tips, and -- NEW this year -- presentation basics.

These on-demand videos are meant to help you and your team work through different scenarios and put together a professional presentation with confidence. ACG Cup participants -- team members and their professors alike -- are encouraged to view the materials in our Resource Library as soon as your team registration is complete. 

Want to know more about why you should take advantage of our Resource Library materials? Our Valuation Seminar leads are here to answer any questions you might have. 
 

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Todd McGuirePlante Moran
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Nathan Olberding, Adamy Valuation
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Jessica Kuster, Hello West Michigan
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REGISTRATION IS OPEN for our popular Career Conversations + Networking Reception!!
All registered teams and their professors/advisors are invited to join us for a pre-event networking reception just north of downtown Grand Rapids on Friday, February 23, 2024. This reception will provide access to a wide array of business professionals in the West Michigan region and beyond who are eager to make connections with new talent.

Attendance will ensure you meet competition judges, advisors, company representatives, ACG Western Michigan Board and Cup Committee members, and generally mix and mingle among ACG Cup competitors. Individuals from Cup teams and professors are encouraged to attend but must register at NO CHARGE. Once at the registration site, you can choose your complimentary ticket type (student/professor) and you'll receive a confirmation email with event details. You don't want to miss this!

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Friday, February 23, 2024
4:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Appetizers, drinks, NETWORKING

 

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Mercantile Bank's Community Room
 301 Leonard Street, NW,
Grand Rapids, MI 49504

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Need to know more about how it'll work?
Learn more by
clicking the icon below.

 
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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 bringing back Career Conversations in an informal and relaxed 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, company representatives, and others at our Friday evening reception on February 23. Our Networking Reception will be held just north of downtown Grand Rapids in Mercantile Bank's Community Room. (Mercantile Bank's address is 301 Leonard Street, NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504.) 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
Cup competitors have the opportunity to connect and network with representatives from Michigan companies, as well as competition judges, who represent many prestigious local and regional firms. ACG Western Michigan members are actively looking for graduate and undergraduate students with a finesse for finance who possess the skills and qualities that enable them to become experts in corporate finance, investment banking, financial advisory and private equity. Career Conversations connects participants with employers in the greater West Michigan region. Every year, student competitors are hired as a direct result of participating in this competition.

FOR PARTICIPATING BUSINESS COMMUNITY MEMBERS
Career Conversations presents an opportunity for both ACG members and sponsors to create awareness about the deal making community and to expose students to potential career openings in this field. Career Conversations represents a chance for participants to GET CONNECTED with high-profile local firms. 

COMPANY PARTICIPATION INTEREST Is your company or firm interested in attending our Career Conversations + Networking Reception to meet the next generation of M&A talent? Reserve your spot through this form now!

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Our list of participating companies and firms that competitors will meet at our Networking Reception is taking shape! Click our "Meet the Firms" button 
to see our Career Conversations gallery and check out any job opportunities that might await you!
MEET THE FIRMS NOW

 

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Charter Capital Partners Logo
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Hylant Logo
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Macatawa Bank Logo
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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' Leads, Elisa Berger and Scott Harris, bring a wealth of knowledge and experience about the ACG Cup initiative and their savvy will ensure we have the region's best professionals judging your case presentation in 2024. Learn more about Elisa, Scott, and our 2024 judges below.

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Elisa Berger, Charter Capital
Partners
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Scott Harris, PNC

MEET THIS YEAR'S JUDGES NOW!

Use the button above to see our NEW Judges' Gallery layout. 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. Our Judges' Gallery allows you to browse the professionals who will take part and make a plan to meet them at our Reception and Competition!
 

 

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Meet the Committee that makes our ACG Cup Competition possible! 
Please select a Cup Committee member to learn more about his/her background. 

 
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Elisa Berger,
Charter Capital Partners
Judge Recruitment
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Gunther Brinkman,
The Baking Company, LLC
Co-Chair / Liaison Lead

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Scott Deal
Adamy Valuation
Case Writing Team
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Matt Fegan
EHTC
Finance Feud Lead
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Ashley Gray,
Case Writing Team

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Scott Harris
Huntington Bank
Judge Recruitment 

 

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Jake 
Helwick

Adamy Valuation
Chair

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Jessica Kuster,
Hello West Michigan
Valuation Seminar Team
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Todd McGuire
Plante Moran
Valuation Seminar Team
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Nathan Olberding,
Adamy Valuation
Valuation Seminar Team
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Jeff Weir
BDO LLP USA
Networking Reception Lead
 
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Heather Edwards,
ACG Western Michigan
ACG Cup Director

   

 

 OUR SPONSORS 

Our generous sponsors make it possible to bring outstanding programs and events to you. Click on a sponsor logo to learn more!

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Charter Capital Partners Logo
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