July 16, 2008 – (ATLANTA) – A communications skills-building program for businesspeople and an Internet portal for "green" goods and information took top honors in a business plan competition for the Herman J. Russell, Sr. International Venture Award and the Moses Lee Reid Entrepreneurship Award.
The Herman J. Russell, Sr. International Center for Entrepreneurship of the Robinson College of Business sponsors the awards, both of which come with cash to help the winners finance their plans.
Ben Reed, an MBA student pursuing a dual concentration in international business and entrepreneurship, won the $10,000 Russell International Venture Award for Lingo, a unique program to help businesspeople develop practical communications skills and become better writers and communicators. The Institute of International Business, also part of Robinson College, contributes half of the Russell Award through a grant from the Business International Education Program of the U.S. Department of Education. The Russell Center endowment also funds the award.
Lynne Lucas won the Reid Entrepreneurship Award for FreshSage.net, LLC. Lucas, who holds two Robinson College degrees, an MBA as well as a BBA in computer information systems, presented a plan for an Internet portal for environmentally conscious users who want to search for, provide and disseminate "green" information and goods. The $5,000 Reid Award was established through an endowment from Dr. Kenneth Reid, a Robinson College alumnus who is global chief investment officer of AXA Rosenberg Group. Named in honor of his father, Moses Lee Reid, the award recognizes viable entrepreneurial ventures developed by Georgia State University students.
Twelve entrants submitted plans in May. From that number, Robinson College faculty chose four finalists to present their plans to a judging panel of entrepreneurs that included 2007 Reid Award recipient, Michael Hodges. Approximately 40 students and entrepreneurs attended the event, held at the Commerce Club in Atlanta on June 12.
The runners up for both awards received $1,000 that was donated by two RCB alumni – Tony Calobrisi, winner of the 2005 Reid Award, and Steve Tanner, president of Arylessence, a fragrance and flavor house. Entrepreneurs themselves, Calobrisi and Reid funded the runners-up prizes to support entrepreneurism among GSU students.
Ani Kochiashvili, an undergraduate finance major at Robinson College, was runner up for the Russell International Venture Award for her plan for Kochi, Ltd., an online gift shop catering to her fellow expatriates from the country of Georgia, formerly part of the Soviet Union. Through Kochi, Ltd., Georgians living abroad can send home special and unique gifts to their loved ones.
Boris Baeta, a GSU philosophy student, was runner up for the Reid Entrepreneurship Award for Agendabuzz.com, a program that provides access to online calendars and schedules through users' mobile phone lines.
