A team of Chaminade University students took top honors at an international business competition, wowing the judges with their strong presentation skills and innovative marketing strategies aimed at bolstering grassroots social media engagement.
Some 40 U.S. and international university teams participated in this year’s Fully Virtual IACBE Live Case Competition. Students spent more than a month crafting a marketing and engagement strategy for a real company—WealthFluent—as it seeks to reach Gen Z professionals.
The winning Chaminade team included John Barayuga ’25, Blake Buonopane ’25, Madelynne Knowd ’26 and Brycen Shackelford ’26, and their first-place title meant they took home a $1,200 prize. Their winning strategy: Crafting athlete and university partnerships to build a strong brand.
“Participating in this competition helped me grow as both a learner and a leader by challenging me to apply real-world problem-solving skills in a collaborative environment,” said Buonopane, the team captain.
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“As a leader, I learned to communicate effectively, delegate tasks based on team strengths, and stay adaptable under pressure. The experience strengthened my confidence, decision-making skills, and ability to guide a team toward a common goal, preparing me for future academic and professional challenges.”
He added, “Walking away with the top prize feels incredibly rewarding and validating. It’s a reflection of all the hard work and teamwork we put into bringing our idea to life. More than just winning, it feels amazing to know that our solution made an impact and stood out among other strong competitors since this was the first year it was virtual.”
The students tackled the challenge as part of their Business Strategy 469 course.
Wera Panow-Loui, MBA, a marketing lecturer at Chaminade and an advisor for the group, said students worked hard to apply what they’d learned in a real-world setting and continuously hone their proposal. “Placing first among 40-plus teams is a prestigious achievement, especially considering the client and judges are highly-experienced professionals,” she said.
“I am incredibly proud of our students. They demonstrated exceptional critical thinking, business acumen and the ability to apply classroom learning in innovative ways.”
Eduard “Eddie” Merc, Ph.D., assistant professor of Business Administration and director of the University’s MBA program, noted that five Chaminade teams participated in the competition—held online for the first time this year.
“As mentors, we used our expertise in business analytics, marketing, and business strategies to prepare students with a comprehensive plan to solve the company’s biggest challenges,” Merc said.
Chaminade has participated in the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) competition for several years. In 2024, the University placed third overall.
