FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
6:00 p.m., July 6, 2017
Jason R. Hogue, Director of Communications, Peru State College, jhogue@peru.edu, 402-872-2429
Peru, Nebraska- More than 1,800 of America’s best and brightest college students traveled to Southern
California to establish their own Legacy of Leadership as they competed for the opportunity to win more than $95,000 in cash awards. The
Peru State College Chapter of Phi Beta Lambda brought home thirteen top-ten national
awards and two chapter awards from the 2017 PBL National Leadership Conference.
Twenty-five Peru State students competed in Anaheim, California from June 24 to June
27. Participants from across the United States attended this exciting conference to
enhance their business skills, expand their networks, and participate in 60 business
and business-related competitive events.
According to the FBLA-PBL website, “Members demonstrate their business expertise at
high-profile regional, state, and national competitive events. The top students are
recognized with trophies and cash awards.”
“Our mission is to bring business and education together in a positive working relationship
through innovative leadership and career development programs.”
Peru State PBL students attended the Nebraska Spring and Fall State Leadership Conferences
where they can qualify to attend the National Leadership Conference. Sixteen of the
students that attended the conference placed within the top ten of their business
category. Five additional students also qualified to compete in the final rounds for
their category.
Alexandra Kenney (Milford, NE) won first place in Client Services as well as fifth
place in Job Interviews.
Ashlyn Draper (Lincoln, NE), Brooke Rudebusch (Moorpark, California) and Samantha Hinrichs (Ankeny, Iowa) won second place in Business Sustainability.
Tristen Nelson (Lincoln, NE) won fourth place in Future Business Executive. Nelson
and teammate, Trey Nelson (Lincoln, NE), won ninth place in Marketing Analysis and
Decision Making. Trey Nelson also placed tenth in the Job Interview event.
Kendra Alberts (Auburn) won fifth place in Community Service and seventh place in
Future Business Educator.
Haley Benedict (Springfield, NE) and Sara Chaloupka (Grand Island, NE) won fifth place
in Integrated Marketing Campaign. The duo also placed ninth in Website Design.
Sara Granfors (Seward, NE) placed sixth in Business Communications.
Lauren Robertson (Omaha, NE), Kiana Borengasser (Waianae, Hawaii) and Cassandra Hunter
(Lincoln, NE) placed ninth in Strategic Analysis and Decision Making.
Cassandra Hunter and Yorgelys Jaspe (San Carlos, Venezuela) placed tenth in Business
Sustainability.
Rachael Cole (Wymore, NE) and Lindsay Harlow (Dawson, NE) placed tenth in the Local
Chapter Annual Business Report. Harlow also qualified to compete in the final competition
for Financial Services.
Hannah Cook (Ponca, NE), Danny Muniz (Miami, Florida), Morgan Peabody (Sabetha, Kansas),
Scott Riley (Auburn, NE), Paulius Sakinis (Klaipeda, Lithuania) and Sophie Schmucker
also competed at the National Leadership Conference this year.
Sara Granfors (Seward, NE), Spencer Kerwin (Omaha, NE) and Rozlyn Cole (Wymore, NE)
qualified to compete in the final competition for Emerging Business Issues. Brooke
Hays (Oxford, NE) also qualified to compete in the final competition for Financial
Analysis and Decision Making.
Peru State's PBL competitors on the National Leadership Conference stage in Anaheim.
The Peru State College chapter was further recognized as a Hollis and Kitty Guy Gold
Seal Chapters of Merit. The Hollis and Guy Gold Seal recognizes outstanding chapters
that have actively participated in projects and programs identified with the goals
of FBLA-PBL.
In addition, the Chapter was also awarded the Action Awareness Award. To earn the
award, the PBL website writes, “PBL chapters must complete four tasks focused on PBL awareness”
such as FBLA-PBL Week, CTSO Month, and America Saves.
Scott Riley (Auburn) was elected to serve as the Mountain Plains Vice President for
the 2017-18 year. It is believed that Riley is the first Peru State member to hold
a national office since Amy Henzel was the Mountain Plains VP in 1990-91. Riley is
currently serving as the president of the Nebraska State Chapter.
Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda, Inc. (FBLA-PBL) is the largest
career student organization in the world. Each year, FBLA-PBL helps over 250,000 members
prepare for careers in business.
For more information about Peru State’s PBL organization, contact PBL advisor Dr.
Sheri Grotrian-Ryan at 402-872-2420 or at sgrotrian-ryan@peru.edu.
###