Tuesday, Apr 22, 2025
The team earns the University’s 41st top 10 finish
by Natalie Andreyev
A team of Rider undergraduate students placed third in this year’s national Small Business Institute Consulting Project of the Year Competition.
Established in 1976, the Small Business Institute (SBI) gives students the ability to provide consulting to small businesses and nonprofits, helping real-world organizations investigate potential opportunities or research an issue and recommend a solution. Rider has had a proven track record of success with SBI, finishing in the top 10 more than 40 times, including six national champions, since the University started competing in the Project of the Year Competition in 1998.
“I am so proud of these students and all of their hard work,” says Dr. Ron Cook, professor of entrepreneurial studies and director of Rider’s SBI program. “For nearly 30 years, businesses have trusted our students to provide recommendations about their operations. This speaks volumes about the quality of Rider’s business curriculum and our students’ ability to put their skills into practice.”
The team — made up of Lauren Turnbull ’24 and seniors Michael Deem, Taras Mykhaylyshyn and Siarra Tejada — was tasked with creating a consulting report for Spruce Industries, a family-owned cleaning and janitorial supplies distributor in Rahway, New Jersey, in the fall semester for Cook’s class. The students evaluated the feasibility of new product offerings for Spruce's existing school customers.
Former VP of Sales at Heraeus Sensor Technology David Molnar ’76 also assisted Cook in mentoring the students throughout the process. He met with the team weekly and served as a valuable resource in the experience for the students.