$5,000 in prize money is available to award to emerging entrepreneurs as Wilmington College presents Quaker Tank, its version of ABC TV’s popular Shark Tank Friday evening (May 21) online.
While the actual contest was filmed in mid-April, the final product premiers for the public beginning at 8 p.m. See the home page of the College’s website (<www.wilmington.edu>) for the link to the show. The winners’ identity has been kept under wraps in anticipation of the announcement at the conclusion of the program video.
Quaker Tank, presented by LCNB National Bank, is similar to the hit ABC-TV show but with a twist. Instead of promoting a product or invention, WC’s contestants — all students at the College — are pitching their overall business concepts. Each will have roughly three minutes to present their idea before a panel of three “sharks.”
Sharks are business leaders from the Wilmington community that have had a chance to review the contestants’ business plans and two-year financials prior to the event. They support entrepreneurship activities in the community and are partners with the College. After each contestant makes their opening pitch, a Q&A session ensues between the sharks and the contestant.
Each shark has been awarded $1,500 to spend on the contestants as they so choose — $4,500 will be given by the panel of sharks. Additionally, the Quaker Tank production team has $500 to give to their favorite contestant. Judging is based on of three main criteria: (1) Creativity – Does the contestant display a professional level of creative thought? (2) Finances – Does the contestant show complete awareness of the financial realities of an entrepreneurial venture? and (3) Feasibility – Is their project market ready?
Contestants will be making a pitch on why the prize money could best help their company either develop, launch or grow.
The finalists are: Grant Mihalick: One Percent Basketball (training program for youth); Bryan Miller: BMiller Show Pigs (pig breeder); Ajia Gannaway: Honey Lequeur (natural beauty supplies); and Logan Hays: Sports Quake (sports media company),
The judges are Stephanie Butler: director of marketing and communications at Clinton Memorial Hospital; Kym Parks: director of marketing for Air Transport Services Group (ATSG); and Kerry Steed: owner of Generations Pizza.
This year’s sponsors, who supported the program with a total of $5,000, are:
Presenting Sponsor, LCNB National Bank; Gold Level Sponsors, First Financial Bank and Alpha & Omega Building Services; Silver Level Sponsor, Merchants National Bank; and Bronze Level Sponsor, PNC Bank.
The Quaker Tank Team features: Peyton M. Mullins: executive producer; Tim Burgoyne, assistant professor of management, faculty adviser for talent; Jeff Hazelden, assistant professor of communication arts and faculty adviser for video production; Tom Brady, director of development for Ohio and Quaker Tank
marketing and fundraising; Chip Murdock, director of the Office of Diversity + Inclusion, who serves as master of ceremony; and Steve Cukovecki, senior admission counselor and Business Club adviser.
