Accounting students qualify for an unprecedented 14th time at IMA National Competition

From left to right: students Brea Sheeks, Jayme Overfield, Kate Lash and professor of accounting and team advisor Dr. David Bukovinsky.

Wright State accounting students placed in the final four for the 14th time at the 2011 Institute for Management Accountants (IMA) national competition. The students’ analysis of the case and 15 minute video presentation earned the team the opportunity to be one of four teams nationwide to compete before the IMA panel of judges in Orlando.

This year’s team included Kate Lash, Master of Accountancy student, B.S.B. 2010; Jayme Overfield, senior in accounting, finance and financial services; Brea Sheeks, MBA student, B.S.B. 2010; Brent Royer, senior accounting major and Corey Pennington, senior Accounting major, B.S.B. 2011.

“We are extremely proud of our students’ capabilities and their commitment to excel year after year at the national level. Our students are self-selected, and devote their own personal time to prepare for the competition,” said Dr. James Greenspan, Accountancy department chair.

This year’s case involved TransGlobal Airlines, a government-run airline in a country moving toward capitalism. In analyzing the case, the team had to address the sale of stock, first-time competition from other airlines, operational efficiency and achieving profit goals as governmental subsidies were eliminated.

David Bukovinksy, professor of accounting and team advisor, said, “Students begin working on the case during fall term. The students faced a double challenge with spring final exam week looming over their heads the same week their presentation was due at the national competition.”

The students were given several pages of financial statements, operating statistics, flight schedules and cost information. They were required to complete a “Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats” analysis, segmentation analysis for the city-to-city, regional and international market; determine the breakeven passenger volume; recommend a strategy for the airline and prepare a formal presentation to the airline’s executive committee.

The IMA was founded in 1919 as the National Association of Cost Accountants and currently represents over 60,000 members. IMA’s mission is to provide a forum for research, practice development, education, knowledge sharing and the advocacy of the highest ethical and best business practices in management accounting and finance.

Wright State University’s Raj Soin College of Business has an enrollment of 1,200 undergraduate students and over 500 graduate students. The college is accredited by AACSB International, the highest accrediting body for business and accounting programs. Just one in three business programs and 173 accounting programs nationwide have achieved this accreditation.