Chaminade University of Honolulu

Annual Conference and Assembly Meeting

Judges Praise Silverswords for Their Creative Results

A 15-year participant in the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education’s (IACBE) Annual Conference and Assembly Meeting (ACAM)—which took place in Memphis, Tennessee this year—Chaminade University has consistently fared well against other mainland and international institutions, often winning several competitions or placing in the top three.

“As the coach, I help set up the teams and select the students who will compete in the Case Competition,” explained MBA Director and Program Advisor, Eddie Merc, Ph.D. “I oversee all the logistics for the trip, as well as help prepare the students to excel in their final presentation delivery.”

This year’s Spring 2024 IACBE’s Live Case Competition featured Tennessee-based organization Viralish, which set forth the challenge to students with this theme: “The 90 Day Creator: A Fast-Track Program and Planning Tool to Help Content Creators Generate $5,000 per Month.” The project tasked student teams to develop an innovative way for Viralish to help business owners and content creators monetize their digital content effectively. Among the participants from schools all around the U.S., Chaminade’s team included seniors Liz Devine, Alexander Hernandez, Ross Reeves and Kelsey Sablan. They were mentored by professors Wera Panow-Loui and Richard Kido. “The  team of four undergraduate business seniors delivered creative results that were actionable, unique and thought provoking,” according to the competition’s judges.

Wera Panow-Loui and Dr. Eddie Merc flank students, from left, Alexander Hernandez, Liz Devine, Kelsey Sablan and Ross Reeves.
Wera Panow-Loui and Dr. Eddie Merc flank students, from left, Alexander Hernandez, Liz Devine, Kelsey Sablan and Ross Reeves.
Dr. Eddie Merc presents his research during the Peregrine Best Practices Poster Competition.
Dr. Eddie Merc presents his research during the Peregrine Best Practices Poster Competition.
Chaminade team members included, from left, Alexander Hernandez, Liz Devine, Kelsey Sablan and Ross Reeves.
Chaminade team members included, from left, Alexander Hernandez, Liz Devine, Kelsey Sablan and Ross Reeves.
Dr. Eddie Merc stands prepare to present his research findings in the Peregrine Best Practices Poster Competition.
Dr. Eddie Merc stands prepare to present his research findings in the Peregrine Best Practices Poster Competition.
Wera Panow-Loui and Dr. Eddie Merc were mentors to students, from left, Ross Reeves, Alexander Hernandez, Liz Devine and Kelsey Sablan.
Wera Panow-Loui and Dr. Eddie Merc were mentors to students, from left, Ross Reeves, Alexander Hernandez, Liz Devine and Kelsey Sablan.
Dr. Eddie Merc gives two thumbs up after winning the Peregrine Best Practices Poster Competition. Students, from left, Kelsey Sablan, Liz Devine, Alexander Hernandez and Ross Reeves congratulated their professor.
Dr. Eddie Merc gives two thumbs up after winning the Peregrine Best Practices Poster Competition. Students, from left, Kelsey Sablan, Liz Devine, Alexander Hernandez and Ross Reeves congratulated their professor.
Chaminade School of Business and Communication faculty members, from left, Asoke Datta, Richard Kido, Wera Panow-Loui and Interim Dean Annette Santos attended the IACBE Annual Conference and Meeting Assembly with students, from left, Ross Reeves, Alexander Hernandez, Liz Devine and Kelsey Sablan.
Chaminade School of Business and Communication faculty members, from left, Asoke Datta, Richard Kido, Wera Panow-Loui and Interim Dean Annette Santos attended the IACBE Annual Conference and Meeting Assembly with students, from left, Ross Reeves, Alexander Hernandez, Liz Devine and Kelsey Sablan.
Students, from left, Alex Hernandez, Liz Devine, Ross Reeves and Kelsey Sablan rehearse their presentation in their hotel room.
Students, from left, Alex Hernandez, Liz Devine, Ross Reeves and Kelsey Sablan rehearse their presentation in their hotel room.

“Chaminade finished in third place, but I think our students had the most comprehensive business analysis of the company,” Merc said. “The synergy of the team was excellent, and they were proud of their research and their presentation delivery.”

The IACBE accredits business programs—including Chaminade’s—that lead to degrees at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels in institutions of higher education nationwide and around the world. Specialized programmatic accreditation by the IACBE is a means by which students, parents, the business community and other stakeholders of the institution can be assured that the academic business unit complies with high principles of excellence and follows best practice in business education.

“The number one priority for attending the IACBE Competition and Conference is to stay in touch with students,” Merc said. “It allows me to gauge what our students excel in and the areas where we may have gaps in our curricula.

“It’s a great conference to determine if our program is up to date,” Merc added. “It’s also a good thermometer of current trends at business schools around the world and U.S.”

For the second consecutive year, Merc walked away with the top prize. And for the second year in a row, he hasn’t kept the winnings, instead donating the prize money to two local nonprofit organizations.

Merc’s first-place finishing poster competition at the IACBE’s ACAM looked at “The Role of Social Integration and Sense of Connectedness in Online Courses, and Their Influence on Learning and Academic Performance Among Military Students.”

“I wanted to focus on non-traditional students who were serving in the military and pursuing their degrees,” said Merc, who serves in the Hawai’i Air National Guard during weekends. “I myself was a non-traditional student when I was obtaining my doctorate in education, so I can definitely relate.”