(Mineola, NY) Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos officially announced the 2nd Annual “Comptroller’s Entrepreneurial Challenge” where 200 business students from High Schools across the County will be competing for scholarship and cash prizes from various sponsors. Teams will have 10 minutes to convince a panel of expert judges that their business plan is feasible and would be successful at the Plaza of the new Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on April 9th at the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building.
“My office has created a competition where the leaders of tomorrow will be challenged today to come up with business ideas that they feel will thrive in Nassau County,” Comptroller Maragos said. “The development around the Coliseum will be one of the largest projects in the County and the Challenge will provide students with an exciting opportunity to come up with innovative and youthful business ideas.”
This year students will have the opportunity to win $10,000 scholarships to Hofstra University or Adelphi University, Cash Prizes of $5,000 from each Healthplex, and Deloitte, $2,500 from Emblem Health, and $750 from Jzanus Home Care. In all, over $33,000 in prizes.
All participants and their teachers will be treated to pizza from Plum Tomatoes of Mineola, Desserts from Sweet Karma, and Drinks courtesy of Cow Bay Contracting. Winners will also receive trophies thanks to Mineola Trophy.
Also the actual developers of the Coliseum and the surrounding area, Forest City Ratner, will be making a special presentation on April 9th at the competition. This group currently operates the Barclay Center in Brooklyn.
Participating Schools:
- North Shore High School
- Roslyn High School
- Freeport High School
- Valley Stream Central High School
- Roosevelt High School
- Baldwin High School
- Massapequa High School
- General Douglas MacArthur High School
- Division Avenue High School
- New Hyde Park Memorial High School
- Oyster Bay High School
- Garden City High School
- John F. Kennedy High School – Bellmore
- Hicksville High School
- Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK High School
- Cedarmore Corporation
Judges:
- George Maragos
- Anthony F. Libertella Adelphi Univeristy – Dean, Robert B. Willumstad School of Business
- Brian Caligiure Hofstra University – Assistant Dean for Administration, Frank G. Zarb School of Business
- Michael B. Malloy Deloitte & Touche – Auditor
- Bryan Berman Plum Tomatoes of Mineola – Owner
- Valerie Vignola Healthplex – Chief Financial Officer
- Andrew Hazen LaunchPad
- Peter Goldsmith LISTnet
- Jerry Gallo Emblem Health – Vice-President of Sales
