From the Cedar Falls Hometowner
By Terry Hudson
Courier Staff Writer

Four University of Northern Iowa International Club of Business members will travel to Winnipeg, Canada this week to compete in the final stage of the Manitoba International Marketing Competition (MIMC).

Twenty teams from Canada, Europe, Mexico and the United States are invited to participate. The teams compete by making marketing and production decisions in three phases. The first is an eight-week simulation where the teams make decisions online.

The second is a written strategy statement that covers target market analysis, competitive analysis and their strategic approach. The final phase occurs in Winnipeg where students present their work of the previous months to a panel of judges from business and academia.

Photo: left to right, Elizabeth Rowan, Laura Haun, Alissa Traughber and AmySchmitt (sitting). The team's advisor, Christine Schrage, is at right.

Christine Schrage, a UNI instructor in management and marketing, said the team has started the competition strong with excellent results from the first set of decisions. Schrage, the team's adviser, will also make the trip. The competition takes place Jan. 8-11.

UNI students participating are: Elizabeth Rowan, a senior management and business administration major from Preston; Alissa Traughber, a senior textiles and apparel marketing, sales and advertising major from Okoboji; Laura Hahn, a junior management major from Charlotte; and Amy Schmitt, a senior marketing major from Maynard.

"This is a team that works really well together," Schrage said. "That's what's important when doing these competitions." She said there is a wide range of experience and major emphasis on the team, so there is considerable balance in their viewpoints. The UNI participants were chosen from a pool of volunteers.

Plaques are presented to the top three teams at the end of the competition.

The students also will have time to mingle.

"There is time built in to interact with people from other teams," Schrage said. "They get to meet participants, judges and business people from different backgrounds. It's a great experience."

This is the 22nd year of the MIMC competition, hosted by Asper School of Business at the University of Manitoba. It's the second straight year UNI is sending a team.

"We were real impressed with the program last year," Schrage said.