Minot State PBL means business
MINOT, N.D. - The Minot State chapter of Phi Beta Lambda (PBL), soon to be known as Future Business Leaders of America Collegiate (FBLA-PBL), earned a 200% success rate at this year’s national conference in Chicago.
Five members of the MSU chapter attended the conference, each earning at least one prize or scholarship for a total of 10 recognitions. Tanner Thompson ’22, chapter vice president and former state president from Ray, took home his third national champion title, this year in the small business management plan category.
“I chose to do a business plan for a small town bank called Prairie Rose Bank and Trust,” he said. “I talked about how I wanted to focus on small businesses and people who live in small towns. I came up with the idea because there’s not a lot of local banks left in Minot or in small town North Dakota. They have merged and gotten larger.”
The accounting major has been involved with FBLA since his freshman year of high school, attending national conferences all across the country. Joining the Minot State chapter gave him the opportunity to apply the real-life skills at an age where the professional world is right around the corner.
“When I was thinking about doing the event, I not only looked at it from a competitive standpoint, but maybe something I’d actually want to do,” he said. “With my background in accounting, I’ve always had an interest in finance. I’ve always wanted to have my own business. I don’t know yet what business that is, so this was a way to pursue a possible idea.”
This year’s national conference was no exception for the Minot State chapter of PBL. Jan Repnow ’84, assistant professor of business and club co-advisor with Assistant Professor of Business Megan Fixen, has seen the club’s success for decades.
“For as long as I can remember, probably since I was a student at Minot State, we have had students competing at the national level and receiving top 10 placements,” she said. “However, in the last years, with Tanner’s two consecutive national champions in local chapter annual business reports, and now this year with two national champions — Kelsey McCloud and Tanner — this is awesome. To see them on the winner’s stage and to see their excitement is truly amazing.”
FBLA organizes their competitions to be realistic representations of experiences in the business world, hosting rounds in rooms without any spectators, only the judges and the competitor, as though it were a real boardroom meeting.
Such realistic scenarios are part of the reason why Repnow sees FBLA-PBL as an important addition to Minot State students’ education.
“PBL is so valuable for the collegiate student,” she said. “The organization focuses on service, education, and progress in their business and professional careers. This important triad is incorporated into programming for the local and state chapters. The networking experiences gained from participation are second to none.”
“It’s an organization that can take you anywhere,” Thompson added. “One of my best PBL friends is actually from Virginia, and I have another one from Puerto Rico. Even while we’re worlds apart, I’ve developed those friendships through the organization, and it’s just so neat to see how a Minot State Beaver can meet someone from all across the nation. It’s just been one of the most cultivating experiences I’ve had.”
To learn more about the club’s success at their 2022 national conference, read this ARTICLE.
About Minot State University
Minot State University is a public university dedicated to excellence in education, scholarship, and community engagement achieved through
rigorous academic experiences, active learning environments, commitment to public service, and a vibrant campus life.
| Published: 07/20/22 |
