Portage College students take first place at business case competition

FORT MCMURRAY, AB. — Business students from Portage College took first place at the Alberta Deans of Business Case Competition, hosted last week by Keyano College.

The competition brought together 11 teams from post-secondary schools across Alberta to develop business strategies for the Fort McMurray International Airport (YMM). Teams analyzed a real-world challenge: how to increase passenger volumes and reduce the number of travellers choosing to fly out of other airports.

Students had 10 hours to review research reports, annual data and airport surveys before presenting their solutions to a panel of judges. The panel included YMM vice-president of air service and commercial development Michael Sieger, marketing and communications manager Jessica Lipton, and Mark Dunn, a CPA and business owner.

“Despite the challenging environment, the students presented creative solutions that we are eager to explore further,” Sieger said. “We will take some great ideas from all the presenting groups.”

Medicine Hat College placed second, followed by NAIT in third.

The event opened with a keynote speech by Matt Bailey, CEO of Must Do Canada and a recipient of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada’s Travel Media Award. He shared insights from his career as a travel blogger and business owner, highlighting opportunities in Canada’s tourism sector.

The Alberta Deans of Business Case Competition challenges students and offers real-world experience by tackling ongoing business challenges.