Student entrepreneurs collected a total of $100,000 on Wednesday at the eighth annual Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Collegiate Business Plan Competition awards dinner at the Eldorado Hotel Casino.

“This is our eighth year, and what amazes me is that every year, the winning business plans get better and better,” said Dave Archer, president and CEO of the the Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology, which sponsored the competition. “So, not only the people who won tonight the best of the submissions for this year, but possibly the best business plan we’ve seen in the eight years of the competition.”

Students who competed received valuable feedback from the business community and had mentors to help polish their business plans.

Envirohaven, a team from the University of Nevada, Reno, was a double-winner. It won first-place in the undergraduate category, as well as the winning the Lt. Governor’s Award. The team will receive about $35,000 in prize money to help start a company that will manufacture self-contained, energy-producing and energy-efficient homes that can be easily assembled. The Lt. Governor’s Award recognizes the best business plan that uses clean, renewable or efficient-energy technologies and services.

A team from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas earned second place with its idea to help young people learn about electronics and programming through Live Wire. The Deep End, a business plan to develop the deepest indoor swimming pool in the world and to put it in Reno, won third place and $10,000.

(Photo: Clint Borchard, captain of team Envirohaven)

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GRADUATE WINNERS

1^st Place – $25,000: MASH Tool USA

MASH Tool brings you all your landscaping and construction needs!

• Team Captain: Angela Douglas, MBA, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Elizabeth Lewis, MBA, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Sarah Zalas, MBA, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Brandon Peters, MBA, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Peter Nazarechuck, MBA, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Angela Douglas, MBA, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Faculty Advisor: Andrew Hardin, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

2^nd Place – $15,000: Geyser Flow Control

Geyser Flow Control created the patented GFC Device. A low-cost, easy to install water flow restrictor for irrigation systems, it minimizes water loss if a sprinkler head fails and corrects over-pressurization. It is set to save Vegas 2.5B gal water.

• Team Captain: Michael Giannini, MIS/MBA, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Seth Ostrowski, MIS, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Paul Kotchka-Smith, MBA, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Erin Johnson, MBA, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Joshua Ellison, MBA, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Faculty Advisor: Andrew Hardin, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

3^rd Place – $10,000: Dating Brouhaha Animated Series

Dating Brouhaha Animated Series is an animated cartoon series that is comedic in nature, eccentric in context, energetic in form and explores facets of current American dating life through the eyes of a multi-generational family.

• Team Captain: Lora Hendrickson, MBA, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Shanna Elhard, MBA, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Faculty Advisor: David Hames, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

UNDERGRADUATE WINNERS

1^st Place – $25,000: Envirohaven

Envirohaven will revolutionize the “green” housing industry by manufacturing self-contained, energy producing, and efficiently designed home packages that can be easily assembled anywhere.

• Team Captain: Clint Borchard, Management, University of Nevada, Reno
• Vicki Bischoff, Psychology, University of Nevada, Reno
• Manpreet Kaur, Accounting, University of Nevada, Reno,
• Shaun Cameron, Communication Studies and Information Systems, University of Nevada, Reno
• Adair Melendez, Mechanical Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno
• Faculty Advisor: Gary Valiere, University of Nevada, Reno

2^nd Place – $15,000: Wire Ideas

To inspire young individuals to discover and learn about electronics and programming in a creative and entertaining way.

• Team Captain: Sergio Flores, Electrical Engineering, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Jorge Carrasco, Civil Engineering, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Daniel Silva, Mechanical Engineering, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Miguel Murillo, Electrical Engineering at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Faculty Advisor: Janet Runge, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

3^rd Place – $10,000: Deep End

The Deep End will be the deepest indoor swimming pool in the world. The facility will be located in Reno, NV. Its maximum depth will be 35 meters and will have an Olympic Size pool and Competition Diving Platforms which will use geothermal for heating

• Team Captain: Justin Morrill, Finance and Economics, University of Nevada, Reno
• Jasper Allen Jacobs, Marketing, University of Nevada, Reno
• Faculty Advisor: Marie Murgolo-Poore, Truckee Meadows Community College

LT. GOVERNOR’S AWARD WINNER – $10,000

Envirohaven

The design of our products makes the prospect of living independent of public utilities both obtainable and desirable. By integrating our energy conservation building technologies and harvesting renewable energy in adaptive ways, our home design will create access to modern conveniences for those who live in remote areas without power.

• Team Captain: Clint Borchard, Management, University of Nevada, Reno
• Vicki Bischoff, Psychology, University of Nevada, Reno
• Manpreet Kaur, Accounting, University of Nevada, Reno
• Shaun Cameron, Communication Studies and Information Systems, University of Nevada, Reno
• Adair Melendez, Mechanical Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno
• Faculty Advisor: Gary Valiere, University of Nevada, Reno

NCET is very pleased to announce that Dr. Marie Murgolo-Poore and Dr. Alan Fuchs have been selected as the 2012 NCET Faculty Advisors of the Year.  This award recognizes those Nevada college and university educators who have made significant contributions to the Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Business Plan Competition.

Dr. Marie Murgolo-Poore
Dean, School of Business and Entrepreneurship
Truckee Meadows Community College

Marie Murgolo-Poore came to TMCC from Curtin University of Technology in Perth, Australia. She has a Ph.D. and master’s degree in commerce with emphases in marketing, and a bachelor of arts degree in communications. She has taught at universities in the USA, Australia, West Indies, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore. She had an active and productive research and publication career. Prior to working at Curtin University of Technology, she spent 18 years in corporate marketing communications management and consultancy roles in both the United States and Australia.

Dr. Alan Fuchs
Department Chair and Associate Professor, Chemical and Materials Engineering
University of Nevada, Reno

Dr. Alan Fuchs is Chair of Chemical and Materials Engineering and Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering and has been at UNR for 14 years. He teaches classes in chemical and materials engineering design, chemical separations processes and polymer science and engineering. Fuchs does research related to new materials for renewable energy, biomaterials and intelligent materials. Previously, Fuchs worked at Rohm and Haas Chemical Corporation in the area of membrane filtration technology for 12 years. He worked in research, product and process development and manufacturing. Fuchs is very interested in engineering entrepreneurship, working with small companies and helping them to identify new products and processes. He enjoys working with students on Governor’s Cup projects and has done so since the competition started.