Sign-on big idea, pays off for Prior

Senior Chez Prior won first place at the Big Idea Challenge sponsored by the School of Business Administration.

Charged with envisioning an innovative business idea, twenty-two teams developed their idea into a written business plan and then presented their idea to a panel of judges.

Judges looked at five criteria when deciding the winner; innovation, marketability, how realistic was the idea, if the idea had a high possibility of being funded and presentation.

“This competition seeks to encourage entrepreneurial innovations in college and university students in East Texas,” said Dr. Isaura Flores, University assistant professor of management.

“Those involved in the competition will gain access to network of successful entrepreneurs, lenders and investors and have the opportunity to learn greater team-building and business planning skills,” she said.

Senior Chez Prior, a psychology major, won $1,000 with his idea “Sign-on,” an economical way to keep signs lit 24/7.

Left, Dr. Isaura Flores, presents Chez Prior, a senior psychology major, with first place and $1,000 for his big idea called “Sign-on,” an economical way to keep signs lit 24/7. Prior competed against 21 teams. Photo by Ryan Pinkham.

Second place and $500 went to senior Alan Bogue, a marketing major, for his idea “The Erector,” a hybrid of existing deer stand designs with the function ability of an extension ladder.

Third place and $250 went to senior marketing majors Hope Anderson, Amber Owen, David Self, and Clarissa Selleroli for their idea “Club 6,” a new entertainment venue in Tyler that has six clubs inside with six different themes and a fifty’s style diner.

Dr. Greg Clary, Texas center for rural entrepreneurship director; Don Proudfoot, Tyler Junior College small business development center; Price Arrendondo, Tyler area Chamber of Commerce — Hispanic business services director; and Ronda Reynolds, UT Tyler technology commercialization manager, judged this years’ competition.