Talent, Diversity and Leadership on Display in Detroit

FCA US marks nearly a quarter century as exclusive sponsor of the National Black MBA Association Graduate Student Case Competition
Oct 1, 2018 2:30 PM ET
The National Black MBA Association Graduate Student Case Competition, sponsored by FCA US LLC, is an annual event which gives high-potential students an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and problem-solving skills in a formal competition. The 2018 national champions represented the University of Michigan, (l to r) Nicholas Thompson, Kristan Sock, Errington Bethel and Sheela Lal pictured here with Richard Cox, Head of Portfolio Planning and Head of Alfa Romeo and Maserati Product Planning, FCA - North America.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., October 1, 2018 /3BL Media/ - Talented MBA candidates from 36 of the nation’s leading business schools competed for $50,000 in scholarships in the 2018 National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) Graduate Student Case Competition®, sponsored by FCA US LLC.

The NBMBAA/FCA US National Graduate Student Case Competition is an annual event that gives high-potential students an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and problem-solving skills in a formal competition.

The competition is held each year as part of the NBMBAA’s Annual Conference and Exposition, which was held in Detroit September 26-28. Winning teams were announced at the NBMBAA’s Impact Awards Gala on Friday, September 28.

FCA CEO Mike Manley, who attended the Impact Awards Gala, said: “A key ingredient of a company’s success is its ability to recruit and develop diverse, talented people. For FCA, partnerships with organizations like the National Black MBA Association are vital sources of talent that will help fuel and sustain us in the future.”

FCA US has been an active supporter of NBMBAA for more than 30 years and the exclusive sponsor of the Graduate Student Case Competition since 1995. Over that time, more than 2,500 graduate students have participated in the competition.

Teams are given a business case from which they develop business solutions. Each student team then prepares and presents its case to a panel of experienced business executives. Teams are judged on their analysis of the case, the feasibility of their recommendations and the quality of their presentations. The 2018 business case required teams to develop strategies that position the Company’s Mopar products in the shared economy.

This year, the students from the University of Michigan took home the first place trophy as national champions and $25,000 in scholarships. The winning team members were Nicholas Thompson, Kristan Sock, Errington Bethel and Sheela Lal, all current MBA students at the university.

The second and third place teams represented Rutgers University and Ohio State University, earning $15,000 and $10,000 in scholarships, respectively.
 
"FCA US is proud to continue its several decades long support of the National Black MBA Association and the Graduate Student Case Competition," said Brian Johnson, Senior Manager, Diversity & Inclusion, FCA US LLC. "The competition is a showcase event for diversity, leadership and student achievement that enables our Company to demonstrate our commitment to identifying, recruiting and developing diverse talent and future business leaders."

About National Black MBA Association
The NBMBAA has grown from a two-day conference to one of the country’s largest professional, minority organizations with 9,000+ members, 45 professional chapters, 35 Leaders of Tomorrow® (LOT®) programs, and more than 300 corporate partners. The organization is dedicated to developing partnerships that create intellectual and economic wealth in the Black community through its five channels of engagement: career, education, entrepreneurship, leadership and lifestyle.
 
About FCA US LLC
FCA US LLC is a North American automaker based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It designs, manufactures, and sells or distributes vehicles under the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep®, Ram, FIAT and Alfa Romeo brands, as well as the SRT performance designation. The Company also distributes Mopar and Alfa Romeo parts and accessories. FCA US is building upon the historic foundations of Chrysler Corp., established in 1925 by industry visionary Walter P. Chrysler and Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino (F.I.A.T.), founded in Italy in 1899 by pioneering entrepreneurs, including Giovanni Agnelli. FCA US is a member of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA) family of companies. (NYSE: FCAU/ MTA: FCA).

FCA is an international automotive group listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “FCAU” and on the Mercato Telematico Azionario under the symbol “FCA.”

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Contact:
Christina Biache
(248) 512-9414 (office)
(248) 425-8726 (cell)
christina.biache@fcagroup.com

Mike Palese
(248) 512-2682 (office)
(313) 930-1252 (cell)
michael.palese@fcagroup.com