A-State Graduate Student Wins Tri-State Governor’s Cup Elevator Pitch Competition
May 29, 2015
JONESBORO – Arkansas State University graduate student Joshua Baker won the graduate
elevator pitch segment of the 2015 Donald W. Reynolds Tri-State Governor’s Cup business
plan competition Thursday evening in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Agricultural Innovations members at the Donald W. Reynolds Tri-State Business Plan competition awards banquet. (from left) Dr. Gail Hudson, professor of marketing; Joshua Baker; Frank Kelley; Kenny Rains; Justin Bagley; Dirk Tanner.
Baker, an Iraqi war veteran, represented A-State’s Agricultural Innovations and brought
home a $2,000 prize. The students had developed a sensor-driven automated irrigation
system named WellsVision that could aid farmers. Baker came up with the idea after
his father-in-law could not make it to dinner one night because he had to turn on
his well.
“I am so proud of our A-State business students for success at the Reynolds Tri-State
competition in Las Vegas,” said Dr. Shane Hunt, dean of the College of Business. “It
is an incredible testament to their entrepreneurial idea, their hard work, their adviser
Dr. Erick Chang and the education they received here at Arkansas State University.”
An elevator pitch designated team member has 90 seconds to present a business idea,
marketing strategy and competition to potential investors. Team members cannot use
notes or other items to assist them, and the presentation cannot exceed 90 seconds—the
length of an elevator ride.
“Josh has been one of best entrepreneurship students in the recent years,” said Dr.
Erick Chang, associate professor of management at A-State and the adviser for Agricultural
Innovations. “He is a doer and an excellent and dedicated team leader.
“I am so proud of what he and the rest of the guys were able to do performing at a
competitive level, especially four undergrads and one master of science student versus
students with MBAs and years of corporate experience. That really tells about how
prepared our students are to face these types of challenges. My hope is their accomplishments
serve as an example of what future students can do to follow and even surpass them.”
Agricultural Innovations earned the right to compete in Las Vegas after winning $25,000
for its first-place finish in the graduate division, as well as $3,000 for finishing
second in the Arkansas Farm Bureau Agriculture Awards during the Arkansas Governor’s
Cup. The team also won the Delta Plastics Innovation Award of $5,000 in the graduate
division.
In addition to Baker, Agricultural Innovations is comprised of four management majors
including Justin Bagley, Frank Kelley and Dirk Tanner and a Master of Science in engineering
student, Kenneth Rains.
The Arkansas State team competed against winners from Arkansas, Nevada and Oklahoma.
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