Orlando happened to be the location for the 60th Annual National Leadership Conference for Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda (FBLA-PBL)—and a Florida university emerged as a top leader of the organization.
The FBLA-PBL chapter from Florida International University (FIU), already the Florida Chapter of the Year, now ranks second in the nation, it was announced at the June conference. FIU placed ahead of Penn State, Georgetown University, University of California-Berkeley and other business schools.
FIU’s chapter was also recognized as a Gold Seal Chapter, a designation given to only the top five percent.
A group of 16 FIU students, the majority from the College of Business Administration, was among the 1,800 students attending the weekend event, which included competitions and judging of yearlong projects.
FIU chapter shines in competitions.
“We were one of two Florida schools that made it to the finals of the Integrated Marketing Campaign competition,” said Jose Nunez, a marketing major. “Our entire chapter showed up to watch our team make our presentation to the judges. That’s the support we give one another.”
Nunez and his teammates won the competition and were among the many FIU students receiving awards at the conclusion of the conference:
First Place: Free Enterprise Project
Team: Louis Castillo, Bruno Cevallos, Michael Perez
First Place: Integrated Marketing Campaign
Team: Jose Nunez, Michael Perez, Juan Zambrano
First Place: Future Business Teacher
Yelen Nunez
Second Place: Largest Membership in Southern Region
FIU Chapter
Second Place: Local Annual Business Report
Team: Claudia Capdesuner and Bruno Cevallos
Third Place: Business Presentation
Bruno Cevallos and Gedma Estrada
Third Place, Professional Division: Government/Civic Awareness
Yanyn San Luis
Seventh Place: Sales Presentation
Saad Munaf
Ninth Place: Emerging Business Issues
Eric Lopez and Angie Navarrete
Tenth Place: Networking Concepts
Laura Alonso
Obtaining the President’s Level:
Claudia Capdesuner
“We broke barriers and records at the conference,” said Yanyn San Luis (BA ’10), who serves as chapter advisor. “The hard work and dedication of these undergraduate students has brought honor to FIU.”
