By Ronald Seigneur
I am delighted to report on the 2024 BV Challenge Cup Finals, hosted last weekend by Georgia State University (GSU) in Atlanta's Buckhead district. Professors David Beard and Victor Jarosiewicz organized an exceptional two-day event, with judges Bob Morrison, Curtis Kimball, and myself evaluating seven student teams from the following schools:
Additionally, teams from the University of Houston (two teams) and Westminster competed in the first round. Judges Mark Zyla and Weston Kirk also contributed during the initial stages.
The competition culminated with Auburn University claiming first place, followed by Baldwin Wallace University in second, and the University of Texas at Dallas securing third. The ten participating teams, representing eight schools, showcased their skills with guidance from academic sponsors and valuation mentors, including industry leaders such as Chris Mercer, Jay Fishman, Sarah Von Helfenstein, and more. These mentors provided valuable input while adhering to standardized parameters set by Professors Beard and Jarosiewicz.
Special thanks go to Dr. Gerald Gay, chair of GSU's Robinson Business School Department of Finance, for supporting the event and hosting a memorable awards dinner at the Buckhead Club.
We extend our gratitude to sponsors ASA, Business Valuation Resources (BVR), and John Borrowman of Borrowman Baker, whose contributions to the student scholarship prize fund were integral to the competition's success. Many teams also praised the benefits of the ASA BV101 virtual course, made available through the efforts of KC Conrad. BVR provided all teams with gratis access to resources like Deal Stats and Cost of Capital Professional, which were invaluable for the competition.
A special acknowledgment goes to Adamy Valuation for preparing the case materials used by the teams to value a manufacturing company for an ESOP transaction. Additionally, Don Drysdale provided a sanitized sample appraisal report, offering students a benchmark for comprehensive analysis and reporting.
Congratulations to all the teams and organizers for making this year’s BV Challenge Cup an unforgettable experience! For more details and a full list of sponsors, visit www.valuationchallenge.org.