News Item

(Albuquerque, NM) Participating faculty and student teams from more than 75 member schools from across the nation travelled to the Small Business Institute's® 2020 National Conference in New Orleans, LA (http://www.smallbusinessinstitute.biz/) to receive SBI Project of the Year (POY) Awards. Proudly representing the Anderson School of Management, a six-member team of University of New Mexico MBA students, guided by Associate Professor Dimitri Kapelianis PhD, took 1st place honors in the Graduate Specialized category for developing a marketing plan for local educational organization, District Z Volunteer Services.

Members of the Anderson School of Management winning team are students Melissa Arellano, Peter Gloyd, Justin MacDonald, Matt Sales, Yvonne Salazar, and Diane Thomas. This is the third year that Dr. Kapelianis' student teams have won first place at the nationwide SBI award competition and the sixth year consecutively his students have been finalists in the competition.

"Collaborating with the Small Business Institute at UNM is a deeply rewarding experience," says Dr. Kapelianis. "My students have the opportunity to apply what they learn in the classroom and gain practical skills and know-how; local client organizations benefit from the students' fresh perspective and sharp insights; and for me, the experience keeps my teaching grounded in the practical realities of marketing strategy."

As Professor Kapelianis said, "We are very excited to receive this award and I am proud of the excellent work my students did to receive this national recognition." Stacy Sacco, UNM Small Business Institute (SBI) Director, added that, "The SBI provides students a unique educational experience and their clients, in-depth business consulting advice to guide their future."

Since its founding in 1978, the UNM Small Business Institute has assisted more than 800 businesses, including New Mexico-based start-ups, family enterprises and nonprofit organizations. Every semester, a handful of UNM Anderson faculty members work with 20-25 local clients and student teams, comprised of 3-5 students, to assist with strategic planning, and marketing research studies.

"Our students and faculty are deserving of the highest accolades for their ongoing accomplishments and award-winning ability to positively impact the small business sector in New Mexico," noted Interim Dean Shawn Berman. "The SBI experiential learning model allows students to showcase the skills learned at Anderson. As a result, everyone wins," he added.

For more information about the UNM Small Business Institute, visit: https://sbi.mgt.unm.edu/.