Photo caption: RMA Commercial Lending Case Competition participants were Stephanie Sawvel, Jordan Boswell, Mason Petersen, Carter Morrissette, Andrew Vaerst, and Kristian Kletti
The second annual Risk Management Association (RMA) Commercial Lending Case Competition was held over two days from April 15-16, 2021. In total, six teams from UW-Eau Claire, UW-Madison, UW-Stevens Point, and UW-Platteville competed for $5,000 in prize money. The RMA Commercial Lending Case Competition is the most prominent commercial case competition in Wisconsin.
On the first day of the competition, students played the role of a credit analyst and made a presentation to a bank’s loan committee. On the second day, the students played the role of a commercial loan officer and presented their proposed lending package to a small business owner.
After two days of intense competition, the two teams representing UW-Eau Claire received first and second place. This is the first time in the history of the competition that one university claimed the top two steps on the podium.
The judge’s panel was populated by senior executives from some of the largest commercial banks in Wisconsin such as Johnson Financial Group and BMO Harris Bank. These judges lauded both groups’ polished and professional presentation styles and their ability to use industry-specific calculations and jargon despite never having worked in a commercial lending environment.
The first-place team was Jordan Boswell, Mason Petersen, and Andrew Vaerst. The second-place team was Kristian Kletti, Carter Morrissette, and Stephanie Sawvel. The faculty advisors were Brad Dobson and Pam Baughman, lecturers in accounting and finance.
RMA Case Competition First Place Team (left-right): Mason Petersen, Jordan Boswell, and Andrew Vaerst
RMA Case Competition Second Place Team: Carter Morrissette, Stephanie Sawvel, and Kristian Kletti
