Bentley Students Place First in Price Chopper Ultimate Innovation Competition

Online, July 25, 2011 (Newswire.com) - A team of Bentley University students placed first in the Price Chopper Ultimate Innovation Competition. The program challenges undergraduate and graduate college students to develop an original, creative, and innovative concept that would be relevant and meaningful to the northeast supermarket retailer. In addition to a formal written proposal, the team presented to company executives on May 11 at Price Chopper Supermarkets headquarters in Schenectady, NY. Bentley placed first among six finalist teams, and received an $8,000 award.

"Not only did the Bentley team have a great set of ideas, they were very professional and based their recommendations on thorough research," says Mark Chandler, vice president of supply chain at Price Chopper Supermarkets. "By winning, they have certainly set the bar high for future teams."

The submitted innovative ideas and concepts needed to focus on one of the following categories:
• Retail store operations
• Supply chain/distribution management (including warehousing and transportation)
• Merchandising/marketing (including advertising or public relations)
• Human resources (including training and recruiting)

Bentley's student team included: Brendan Gerrity and Chris Hayes (Class of 2011); Cody Normyle (Class of 2013); and Monika Aderbauer (Class of 2012). Their idea focused on innovative ways to increase the capacity of the cash registers during periods of high demand. Faculty advisers included Mark Davis, professor of operations management, and James Salsbury, senior lecturer in management.

"Winning first prize obviously reflects very positively on both the students and Bentley," says Davis. "What made the award even more impressive was that the judges voted unanimously to award the Bentley team first place. In addition, unlike many of the teams who received course credit for this competition, the Bentley student team volunteered to compete solely for the experience."

BENTLEY UNIVERSITY is one of the nation's leading business schools, dedicated to preparing a new kind of business leader - one with the deep technical skills, broad global perspective, and high ethical standards required to make a difference in an ever-changing world. Our rich, diverse arts and sciences program, combined with an advanced business curriculum, prepares informed professionals who make an impact in their chosen fields. Located on a classic New England campus minutes from Boston, Bentley is a dynamic community of leaders, scholars and creative thinkers. The McCallum Graduate School emphasizes the impact of technology on business practice, in offerings that include MBA and Master of Science programs, PhD programs in accountancy and in business, and customized executive education programs. The university enrolls approximately 4,100 full-time undergraduate, 140 adult part-time undergraduate, 1,430 graduate, and 34 doctoral students. Bentley is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges; AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business; and the European Quality Improvement System, which benchmarks quality in management and business education.