ADA, Okla. – East Central University’s Stonecipher School of Business recently hosted its annual Tiger Tank competition, the 2024 winners were announced alongside the winners of the Tiger Promote and Tiger Trak at this year’s Leonard Limes Lectureship.
The annual competition calls for individual students, or teams, to pitch new business ideas that are product or service oriented and be able to answer questions about the pitch, idea and opportunity. It is divided into three categories including high school, collegiate and advanced collegiate.
“Tiger Tank is a great way for college and high-school students from the area to practice their communication and critical thinking skills with a focus on entrepreneurship, marketing, and finance.” said Stacey Bolin, ECU Smith Center for Entrepreneurship Director. “Not only can students win cash prizes, but they also get great feedback from our volunteer judges to help them continue to hone their ideas to move forward. At the awards luncheon, students got to learn from the 2024 ECU Entrepreneur of the Year, Michael Hendrix.”
2024 Tiger Tank Entrepreneurial Pitch Competition Award Winners:
ADVANCED COLLEGIATE
Champion – TechVault Storage Solutions (ECU - Michael Cole Martin, Business Administration-Entrepreneurship) - $250 Sponsored by Ada Jobs Foundation
Runner Up – Bull Performance (ECU - Tyson Johnson, Business Administration-Management) - $125 Sponsored by Communication Federal Credit Union
Second Runner Up – Saw Caddy (ECU - Teya McMillan, Business Administration-Entrepreneurship) - $75 Sponsored by Communication Federal Credit Union
COLLEGIATE
Champion – Russ-Tech Industries (ECU - Andon Russell, Business Administration-Entrepreneurship) - $250 Sponsored by Tinker Federal Credit Union
Runner Up – NXT Level Swing (ECU - Ashton Bierce, Business Administration-General Business, Carter Dotson, Accounting) - $125 Sponsored by Tinker Federal Credit Union
Second Runner Up – Bloom Bright (SSC - Savannah Averitt, Cednei Hulbutta) - $75 Sponsored by Tinker Federal Credit Union
HIGH SCHOOL
Champion – Whisked Away (Byng – Paige Sanders, Maddie Hogue) - $250 Sponsored by Leachco
Runner Up – Pristine Paw (Ada – Leslie Walters, Tracie Stein) - $125 Sponsored by Ram Jack
Second Runner Up – Tutor Me (Stratford – Wyatt Morris, Lucas Trower, Maddelynn Law) - $75 Sponsored by Ram Jack
2024 Tiger Promote Marketing Pitch Award Winners:
Champion – Skillful Solutions (Latta – Briley Brundidge, Cole McElroy) - $250 Sponsored by First United Bank
Runner Up – Red for Jed (Latta – Ryan Gray, Faith Adegbule) - $125 Sponsored by People’s Electric Cooperative
Second Runner Up – Howell Haven (Byng – Kiley Howell, Bree Howell) - $75 Sponsored by People’s Electric Cooperative
2024 Tiger Trak Stock Challenge Award Winners:
COLLEGIATE
Champion – Kara Doan, SSC - $100 Sponsored by Gaddis Premier Financial Services
Runner Up – Aubrey Junk, ECU - $50 Sponsored by Gaddis Premier Financial Services
Second Runner Up – Emma Christensen, ECU - $25 Sponsored by Gaddis Premier Financial Services
HIGHSCHOOL
Champion – Briley Brundidge, Latta
Runner Up – Drew Graham, Byng
Second Runner Up – John Cox, Byng
Champion School – Latta High School DECA
Cutline: Left to right, First United Bank and Ada Jobs Board Member, Amy Kaiser; Economic Development Specialist for Ada Jobs Foundation, Daniel Castenada; Tiger Tank Champion, Cole Martin; Dean of the Stonecipher School of Business, Dr. Michael Scott.