The Council for Retail and Sales (CRS), housed at DeSales University, hosts two collegiate case competitions each year. This spring the competition was held on March 21, 2024 and sponsored by The Theory of 5. A team from Northampton Community College took 1st place. The winning team was led by faculty advisors Wendi Achey, Annie Laurie Meyers, and Anne Bitner. Students Vincent Kovacs, Tyler Mack, Ian Pearn, and Javier Jaramillo Nunez made up the winning team and will take home $300 each.
The Theory of 5 began as a legacy book written by Chris Saraceno as a vehicle to pass wisdom and life lessons on to his children and grandchildren. Saraceno is a business executive with ownership in several prominent car dealerships in PA & FL, a real estate investor, speaker, and leader who has, over the past 38 years, discovered what surrounding yourself with happy and prosperous people, coupled with hard work, can bring over a lifetime. He has been a featured speaker at numerous conventions and has published hundreds of articles both online and in business magazines. In addition to his book, Saraceno also operates The Theory of 5 University, a coaching program focused on helping individuals grow their business and reach new heights, as well as a 10-part online personal growth series.
Chris’s theory suggests that individuals should seek to find mentors in the different areas of their lives that matter the most to our happiness and prosperity, which he identifies as: Spirituality; Marriage & Relationships; Parenting; Business & Finance; and Health.
According to Chris, “By listening to the advice of our mentors and asking them to guide and challenge us, we begin to walk the best path to our best selves.”
Nine teams from the following universities competed – Thomas Jefferson University, DeSales University, Penn State Lehigh Valley, Penn State Abington, Penn State Harrisburg, Penn State Scranton, Northampton Community College, and Bloomsburg University.
The judges for the event included Chris Saraceno, Founder & Author – The Theory of 5; Andrew Schultz, Operating Partner – The Theory of 5 University; Tifany Ness, Partner – Market Research & Insight – Beanstalk Insight; David Anderson, Financial Advisor – Edward Jones; and Eva Kimmerly, Solutions Leader – Lutron Electronics.
“Year after year the competition gets tougher. Teams keep coming back determined to get their names engraved on the coveted traveling trophy,” said Dr. James R. “Doc” Ogden, chairman of the CRS.
The 1st place winning prize was $1200 and 2nd place prize was $400. The competition was judged on a written executive summary and an in-person presentation to a panel of judges. A team from Thomas Jefferson University, comprised of Jared Beaudoin, Julianne Tyler, and Tyler Bartman took second place. Third place went to Dominic Baio, Emily Schlegel, and Bryahna Stanat from Penn State Lehigh Valley. The judges selected Julianne Tyler from Thomas Jefferson University as Best Presenter and Bryahna Stanat from Penn State Lehigh Valley for Best Student during the judge’s question and answer session.
Walmart is set to sponsor the next competition, scheduled for fall 2024. Participation is open to undergraduates from any college or university. Check thecrs.org or follow CRS on Facebook for more information.