A team of TRU business students is shortlisted along with four American university teams in a competition for a $7,500 top prize in the Tony Brower Innovation Exposition.

The Kamloops-based business-plan competition for teams of business students is named after Tony Brower, a TRU business professor who died in 2007.

Megan Kerslake, an organizer with Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) at TRU that organized the competition, said a panel of local business experts judged 17 teams. Teams included from Queens University and Simon Fraser University.

A three-person team from TRU -- Matt Lepp, Daniel Ruzic and Seon Jeon – was one of five shortlisted to compete online through videoconferencing March 27 for the exposition based in Kamloops.

The other teams are three from the University of Michigan and one from Columbia Business School. The second-place team is eligible for a $2,500 prize.

The event is in its first year. Final judging takes place at an all-day event at TRU’s Clocktower beginning at 9:30 a.m.

The local judges evaluated the paper business plans without any identification of the teams to ensure fairness. While team identities are part of the final judging, Kerslake said judges are being brought here from outside, including from the United States to ensure fairness.

“We’ve eliminated people (from judging) connected with the university,” Kerslake said. “A lot wanted to judge but they can’t because they’re connected with the university.”

The competition is the second time this year where TRU business students have made finals.

Another group of SIFE students from TRU is a western winner in a national competition sponsored by HSBC.