I was positively wowed by the experience. FECC did an excellent job organizing the event and preparing me to be an effective judge. The global diversity of teams and student presenters was impressive and the case studies were compelling. At some point, one of the coaches stated that this was the place to be if one was in any way involved in any family business. Thank you for allowing me to be part of this exciting event.
Anna Grady, Director of Human Resources
Renewable NRG Systems
The FECC is a professional organised international Event, which stimulates the students as well as the judges. From my experience as a judge, I was impressed by the student's motivation, creativity and competencies. Indeed, analysing and presenting results in a very limited time means taking on a big challenge.
Birgit Burbock, Faculty Member - FH JOANNEUM
University of Applied Sciences
It was a pleasure being a judge, and congrats to you and the rest on the Business School on a great event.
Bram Kleppner, CEO
Danforth Pewter
I just loved being a judge at UVM's 2015 FECC. It was a happy, thought-provoking and skill-developing competition that challenged and energized while increasing the abilities and proficiencies of all MBA and Undergraduate participants. It was great to see all team members grow in capability as the rounds progressed and they internalized feedback.
Carol Zsolnay, Assistant Director Center for Family Enterprises
Kellogg School of Management
What a super, super job you did with a massive undertaking. You all seemed so calm, rested and smiling as though every single detail was smooth sailing on Lake Champlain! Your use of undergrad students to take meaningful roles and responsibility not only works well, but underscores your mission of offering learning opportunities that have an impact. The students were each on their own mini-outward bound challenge whether they were Team Ambassadors or Room Monitors or managing all else behind the scenes. In contrast to our wider world (viewed through TV news that seems to surface conflict, division, trauma), it was poignant to experience last night's celebration dinner of enthusiastic and harmonious diversity. The winning Swedish team had one Swede on it, but also two Germans and an Italian coach. The French team had on it, one New Caledonian and a coach from Niger who now lives in Belgium. The first time Saudi coach won a best coach award. The Malaysian team, including two women in Muslim dress, had travelled 39 hours to participate. The cases were global too, rooted in US, Hong Kong, India and Pakistan, showing the universality of the ages, stage, issues and situations facing family enterprises. Maybe family businesses and family business fellowships are the way forward for peace on earth? As you can see, I have left feeling terrific about all things FECC!
Carol Zsolnay, Assistant Director Center for Family Enterprises
Kellogg School of Management
I was quite impressed by the quality of analysis and clarity of presentation by the FECC teams. It was a learning experience for me as a judge to see how students diagnosed the essential problems and recommended solutions for each case. It was a well-run case competition.
Chun Zhang, Associate Professor
University of Vermont
I want to thank all of you for inviting me to participate as a judge and am hopeful that I did a good enough job that I will have the opportunity to return next year. This was an incredible exciting two days in which I learned a great deal from the students and the other judges. I already have some ideas of creative changes I want to make to my own courses. In addition, I want to applaud you on all the work you did to organize the moving parts. From the outside it looked seemless and it spotlighted the strength of the UVM faculty and students. I am only sorry I was not able to stay longer this year.
Danna Greenberg, professor
Babson College
Many thanks for your hospitality and continuos attention to every detail. I enjoy mi stay in Vermont very much.
German Scalzo, Dr.
Universidad Panamericana
I had a very fulfilling day as a judge, and am grateful to be a part of FECC. I certainly would be interested in participating next year, and maybe for more than one day. Please keep in touch with me about it. Kudos to you both, and to Rocki, and all involved. Our room coordinator, Ben Vaughn, also did a great job.
Ira Bryck, director
UMass Family Business Center
Thank you for the invitation to participate in such a wonderful event, the International FECC. It was great 3 years ago at its inception and has evolved into an international case competition that's even better... what a wonderful way to make the field (and the world) both bigger and smaller! Kudos to those at the UVM School of Business Administration, the case writers, the coaches, the competing teams and the judges for making this a world class event!
Jane Hilburt Davis, President
Key Resources LLC.
Thank you for the invitation to participate in such a wonderful event. It was great 3 years ago and has evolved into an event that's even better.. what a way to make the field (and the world) both bigger and smaller! I think we get high marks for team work.
Jane Hilburt Davis, President
Key Resources LLC.
The FECC is an incredibly rewarding few days. The students are energized and excited about the field of family enterprise; this is contagious. My fellow judges are interesting, smart and friendly - wonderful to work with and I've made friends I'll see throughout the year. Smart organizations who serve enterprising families should support FECC, attend and set aside time to interview these talented students. All this in beautiful Burlington, VT is an added bonus.
Jeff Savlov, Family Business Consultant (also family therapist and psychoanalyst) - Blum & Savlov, Inc.
Family Business Consulting
I can't help but think about myself participating in this event when I was a student. No way! You folks do a great job teaching, training and preparing these students for life after school. Thank you!
John Packard, President - BTS
Patriot Streel Company
Thank you for inviting me, I had a wonderful time and you were all most hospitable. What an amazing event you have created at UVM and what effort you put in. It's extremely impressive.
Louise Scholes, University Lecturer
Durham University
Thank you very much for the invitation for FEEC. It was very good experience for me. Being a judge and see the outstanding young people it is real pleasure
Lukasz Sulkowski, Full professor
Spoleczna Akademia Nauk
In January of 2015 I was a judge at the Family Enterprise Case Competition. The University of Vermont has assembled excellent administrative and training support. I felt well prepared and supported. I met judges from education and industry that come back to judge because they enjoy the experience, even though judging is demanding. It was rewarding to see some teams make significant progress from one day to the next. I enjoyed rubbing shoulders with students and educators from around the world. Great experience!
Ritch Sorenson, Professor
University of St. Thomas
FECC in general I believe fosters such a great competitive environment, but also provides the opportunity for all participants to meet people from all over the world, which is such a rare opportunity to find. I was so impressed with all of the students, and I really felt like I could learn from not only the different teams, but also from the wide variety of judges that participated. The best part for me to witness, from both being a participant last year and now being a judge, is seeing the significant improvement of teams from day to day in the competition. I only wish I got to see more of the teams presentations!
Robyn Worrall, Sales Coordinator
Quirky
I was so honored to be a part of this spectacular event and among such a prestigious group of judges. I was pleased to see that one of the schools from my division won the overall undergraduate award -- they really were terrific!
Stephanie Hainley, Chief Operating Officer & Senior Project Manager - White + Burke Real Estate Investment Advisors, Inc.
FECC was an incredible experience. Bright minds, thought-provoking presentations and perspectives from all around the world came together all in one place. What a pleasure to be a part of.
Stephanie Laurin, Marketing Manager
Business Families Foundation
It was my pleasure to once again be a part of FECC as a judge, and not only will I consider joining you for FECC 2016, I want to ask to be a judge for as many days as possible! I have told a few other family business advisor colleagues about my experience, and they are usually jealous and want to know how they can get involved. It was such a great experience for me again, I can only image what it must be like for the competitors. Congratulations for putting on such an eye-opening event. Last year I wrote a blog about my experience (http://stevelegler.com/worlds-only-family-business-case-competition/), and I will surely be following up with another in the coming weeks.
Steve Legler, Family Business Advisor
TSI Heritage
I truly enjoy participating in the event and team camaraderie. You've established quite a wonderful program and you should be very proud.
Walter Frame, Executive Vice President
Trapp Family Lodge
The event was wonderful-we had a great time-and I was blown away by the organization and the overall outstanding quality and the size of the event-what a logistic nightmare but what a smooth delivery-and great spirit too!
Antonio Cepeda-Benito, Dean
UVM College of Arts & Sciences
On behalf of ESADE and ourselves, we want to thank you very much for the great experience that you created for all of us. We really feel very honored that you invited besides our impossibility to assist last year. We all learned a lot with the case discussions, the interaction with other team members and coaches and the interaction with juries, students staff and yourself. You were able to create a very nice mix of competition, collegial discussions, and friendship. We hope to be back last year. You have created something great, THANKS A LOT.
Alberto Gimeno Sandig , Coach
ESADE
I am grateful that the St. Bonaventure team could participate in FECC. Our teammate Vikas Kotha said, "it was the most meaningful experience in my academic career and was so valuable for me to have as I develop skills to work in my global family business and as I prepare for my first year at the George Washington Medical School". As the team coach, this experience was one of the highlights of my career. And we came in at the bottom of our division. Yet we were victorious in learning from students and coaches from around the world. Our perspectives have changed for the better in many ways. I could see students maturing day by day throughout the competition. We learned from other teams that there are many ways to view and solve family business problems. We bonded with other teams and wanted to take our gracious hosts and friends - the University of Vermont ambassadors - home with us. The biggest takeaway I got out of the competition was related to the opportunity for my students and myself to get out of our comfort zone. We learned that our preparation was simply not enough to compete globally. Other teams and coaches inspired us and taught us what we need to do next year to take our program to the next level. That creative tension -- vulnerability/humility and being optimistic -- is not something we may like or are used to, yet it is something every global business student and faculty member needs to experience to excel in ways we could not have imagined. If we as faculty are to use our gifts to help students realize their highest potential and callings, we must present them with such opportunities. We return to St. Bonaventure University as better learners, teammates and teachers. Thank you to the FECC community for this opportunity. Finally, thank you to Betty Ramming for remembering her late husband, Alan Ramming '63, owner of their family business Electro Abrasive Corporation, by supporting the team's participation. He was surely with us in spirit.
Carol Wittmeyer, Coach
St. Bonaventure