The Grove City College Elevator Pitch Competition affords all students the opportunity to pitch their new venture ideas to a panel of judges, offering cash prizes in two categories – Commercial Enterprise and Social Enterprise. The competition is open to students planning to enter the Business Plan Competition as well as other students who wish to enter. The competition is open to students from all majors. For team ventures, all members must be present, and one student will deliver the pitch. If registering as a team, only one student from the team should complete the official “GCC Elevator Pitch Application Form,” but each teammate and his/her contact information should be listed. It is free to enter the competition. The “elevator” pitch is a frequently used term, which literally means “tell me about your new venture within the time it would take to ride up an elevator.” The goal of the Elevator Pitch Competition is to teach students to communicate effectively and allow their charisma and positive characteristics to shine through in just a short pitch. The Elevator Pitch Competition demonstrates the networking and presentation skills essential to any entrepreneur or business professional. Please note that ideas may be at any stage of development from creation of concepts or ideas to an established venture.

Who Should Participate?

• The Grove City College Elevator Pitch Competition is currently open only to Grove City College students.
• GCC students interested in enhancing their presentation skills
• GCC students who want to explore the idea of starting a new venture
• GCC students planning to participate in the Business Plan Competition

Why Participate?

• This is your chance to showcase your talents and passion for changing the world through entrepreneurship + innovation.
• It’s an opportunity to present your commercial or social idea in a positive atmosphere.
• Why not receive recognition for the merits of the presentation of your idea with the possibility of cash awards?

Social Enterprise:
1st Place–$500
2nd Place–$400
3rd Place–$300
4th Place–$200

2017 Competition Results

Commercial Enterprise Winners:

• First Place ($500): The Shammy Shield (Alex Bailey ’20, Entrepreneurship)
• Second Place ($400): TeleTalk (Adam Densmore ’21, Accounting & Finance)
• Third Place ($300): PeeWee Packs (Hannah Vaccaro ’18, Entrepreneurship)
• Fourth Place ($200): Dance Tracks (Heather Hondel ’21, Entrepreneurship)

Social Enterprise Winners:

• First Place ($500): Mathletics (Cody Gustafson ’21, Undeclared)
• Second Place ($400): Missing Link (Zack LaValla ’21, Entrepreneurship)
• Third Place ($300): Trade for Trade (Abby Messinger ’18, Communications and Visual Arts)
• Fourth Place ($200): Scoops + Smiles (Michaela Cashmer ’18, International Business)

 FINALISTS: (Social Enterprise):

• Michaela Cashmer
• Cody Gustafson
• Ian Jones
• Zach LaValla
• Abby Messinger
• Ryan Motta
• Bryce Nelson
• Abby Parsons
• Ben Tobias

SOCIAL CATEGORY – 12 SEMI-FINALISTS:
• Michaela Cashmer
• Emily Gedney
• Cody Gustafson
• Ian Jones
• Zach LaValla
• Erin McGann
• Abby Messinger
• Ryan Motta
• Bryce Nelson
• Abby Parsons
• Levi Roberts
• Ben Tobias

Full details regarding the format and logistics of each round along with tips and resources can be found in the:

           Official CEI Elevator Pitch Competition User’s Guide

How are the pitches judged?

• Social Enterprise Judging Rubric
• Commercial Enterprise Judging Rubric 

Past Competition Results

2016 Elevator Pitch Competition Results

Commercial Enterprise Winners:

• First Place ($500): Studio Song (Jordan Horst ’18, Entrepreneurship)
• Second Place ($400): Riot Racing (Ben Tobias ’19, Entrepreneurship)
• Third Place ($300): (re)Fresh Apparel (Angela Kim ’18, Communication Studies)

Social Enterprise Winners:

• First Place ($500): Fearless Children (Hannah Hastings ’19, Entrepreneurship)
• Second Place ($400): Butterfly Net (Sarah Klein ’17, Entrepreneurship)
• Third Place ($300): Print It (Stephen Weaver ’20, Entrepreneurship)

2016–Round #2–Final Round Judges

Commercial Enterprise:

• Herschel Miller ’16, COwner & COO, Brookston Industries
• Jon Graber ’16, Pittsburgh Fellow
• Benjamin Marasco ’16, Co-founder & CEO, Carefinder

Social Enterprise:

• Zoe Simek ’14, Future Founder, Light It Up Dance Studio
• Logan Hammerschmitt ’16, Founder, Immerse
• Kyle English, Executive Director , Community Foundation of Western PA & Eastern OH

2016–Round #1–Qualifying Round Judges

• Adam Nowland, Development
• Michelle McFeaters, Accounting
• Nicole Stone, Accounting
• Michelle Clauss, Engineering
• Zach Jew, Development
• Tim Richart, Development
• Sue Dreves, Education
• David Ayers, Sociology
• Lisa Hosack, Sociology
• Ken Carson, Business
• Mark Hendrickson, Economics/Entrepreneurship
• Rich Grimm, Business

2015 Elevator Pitch Competition 

Winners

Commercial Enterprise:

• First Place ($500): Transform Furniture (Ben Marasco ’16, Finance)
• Second Place ($400): Immerse (Ben Tobias ’19, Entrepreneurship)
• Third Place ($300): Where’s My Milk (Karolina Lagerquist ’16, Entrepreneurship)

Social Enterprise:

• First Place ($500): Foster Freedom (Annabelle Rutledge ’17, History)
• Second Place ($400): Damascus Light Relief (Joanie Brown ’19, Philosophy)
• Third Place ($300): Streamline (Christina Vilbert ’17, Political Science)

Round #2–Final Round Judges

Commercial Enterprise:

• Joshua Fischer ’13, Real Estate Strategist, Pinpoint Retail
• Jayna Grassel ’11, Senior SEO Analyst, DICK’S Sporting Goods
• Nick Marts, Health Coach Manager, Health Centers of the Future

Social Enterprise:

• Brittany Hamps ’09, Entrepreneur Extraordinaire
• Zoe Simek ’14, Future Founder, Light It Up Dance Studio
• Ellie Stanchak ’13, Worship Associate, Victory Family Church

2015–Round #1–Qualifying Round Judges 

• Todd Allen
• Dann Brown
• Susan Dreves
• Samantha Fecich
• Rich Grimm
• Lois Johnson
• Michelle McFeaters
• Jacquelyn Muller
• Adam Nowland
• Nichole Stone
• Larry Fleming (Ret.)
• Mark Hendrickson

2014 Elevator Pitch Competition

Winners

Commercial Enterprise:

• First Place ($500): CareFinder (Ben Marasco ’16)
• Second Place ($400): Sincerity (Connor Grieb ’18)
• Third Place ($300): Volt (Nick Schafhauser ’18)

Social Enterprise:

• First Place ($500): ReFreshed (Jessie Huff ’15)
• Second Place ($400): Lunch Time! (Haley Nerlich ’16)
• Third Place ($300): Grace International (Sarah Klein ’17)

2014–Round #2–Final Round Judges

Commercial Enterprise:

• Kyle English, Program Manager, [email protected]
• Jake Loosararian ’13, President, GeckoRobotics
• Don Morrison, Chairman of Deal Flow, BlueTree Allied Angels

Social Enterprise:

• Joe Bute, Partner, F.N.B. Capital Partners
• David Dietrich, Principle, At Home Senior Services
• John Stillwaggon, CPA, CGFM, President, Stillwaggon & McGill

2014–Round #1–Qualifying Round Judges

Commercial Enterprise I (HAL 306):

• Dr. Richard Grimm, Professor of Business
• Dr. Michelle McFeaters ’88, ’02, Asst. Dean; Associate Prof. of Accounting
• Mr. Adam Nowland ’07; Director of Planned Giving

Commercial Enterprise II (HAL 309):

• Dr. Bill Hinton; Professor of Business
• Prof. Nate Mucha ’08; Asst. Professor of Design
• Ms. Megan Krimmel ’08; Associate Director of Alumni Programs and Communications

Social Enterprise I (HAL 312):

• Dr. Scott Powell; Professor of Business
• Dr. Lisa Hosack; Professor of Sociology
• Dr. Julie Moeller ’93; Professor of Biblical and Religious Studies

Social Enterprise II (HAL 316):

• Mr. Zach Jew ’11; Development Officer
• Dr. Martin Bright; Associate Professor Social Work
• Dr. Lois Johnson; Director, Office of Int’l Education; Professor of Education

2013 Elevator Pitch Competition

Winners

Commercial Enterprise*:

• Projector (Logan Hammerschmitt ’16)
• Generation Restoration (Karolina Lagerquist ’16)
• Feed for Thought (Megan Smith ’17)
• Oldies and Goodies (Cliff Hovis ’17)

Social Enterprise*:

• Health Quest (Chloe Smiley ’14)
• Find Signers (Alaina Wheeler ’15)
• I Can Dream (Whitney Blankenship ’14)
• Created to Care (Austin Guenther ’15)

*($250 to each team; winners are in no particular order)

Judges

Commercial Enterprise:

• Brittany Hampe ’09, Real Estate Investor, Hampe Investments
• Timothy Tobitsch ’03, Owner, Franktuary
• Kyle English, Executive Director, Community Connections

Social Enterprise I:

• Amy Atkinson, Associate Dir., Community Foundation of Western PA
• Nathan Smith ‘97, Director of Marketing, OpenArc
• Carrie Sepesy, Sr. Business Innovation Strategy Consultant, Highmark

Social Enterprise II:

• Susan Boland, Dir. of Development, George Jr. Republic
• Amy Phillips, Sr. Business Innovation Strategy Consultant, Highmark
• Mindy Epstein

2012 Elevator Pitch Competition

Winners

Commercial Enterprise*:

• Pelican Special Needs Furnishings (Reagan Cerisano)
• College Yard Guys (Ryan Cypher)
• LuYu (Joanna Abraham, Elise Stanchak, Leah VanEerden)
• Quest NYC (Chadwyk Cobb, Erika Bastian, Liz Wilson, Paul Sanders)

Social Enterprise*:

• Babel Farm (Joanna Abraham)
• Pokey Pets (Chloe Smiley)
• Kin Clothing (Scott Inderbitzen)
• Guava Tree Missions (Michael Trombly)

*($250 to each team; winners are in no particular order)

Judges

Commercial Enterprise:

• David Metzloff  ’77, Director of Operations/IT, Process Control Corporation
• Rob Payne ‘06, General Manager, RML Industries
• Tim Turritin, Principal, TNT Consulting
• Micaela Vrabel, Owner, Beans On Broad

 Social Enterprise:

• Toby Basalla ‘98, Owner/Founder, OnHand Schools
• Beth Black, Executive Director, Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce
• Nathan Smith ‘97, Director of Marketing, OpenArc

2011 Elevator Pitch Competition

Winners

Commercial Enterprise*:

• Sand Chariot (Michael Trombly ‘14)
• Scuff Off Kits (Erika Lightholder ’14)
• Brallets (Brittany Schmitt ’15)
• Black Market Beats (Scott Inderbitzen ’14)

Social Enterprise*:

• One Sonogram (Gret Glyer ‘12)
• His Creative Care (Zoe Simek ’14)
• Ashes to Art (Molly Harrington ‘14)
• Missions Giving (Ryan Herman ’13)

*($250 to each team; winners are in no particular order)

Judges

Commercial Enterprise:

• Mike Walton, CEO, Jamestown Coatings
• Rex Knisley, Sr. VP, First National Bank of PA
• Meredith Marburger ’10, Marketing Director, Hovis Auto & Truck Supply
• Tim Turrittin, Managing Principal, TNT Consulting
• Richard Epstein, Esq., Partner, Ekker, Kuster, McConnell & Epstein, LLP

Social Enterprise:

• Dave Metzloff ’77, Process Control Corp.
• Karen Piccirilli, VP, Business Banking, PNC Bank
• Esther Falcetta, Educational Advocate, Owner, Proficient Reader Resources

2010 Elevator Pitch Competition

Winners

Commercial Enterprise*:

• Christopher Marasco ’11–DVD Kiosk Creations
• Zoe Simek ’14–SuperCone
• Elise Stanchak ‘13 & Joanna Abraham ’13–Kwirk
• Joshua Fisher ’13–Slim Scale

Social Enterprise*:

• Kristen Yealy ’13–I Read, You Learn
• Scott Moran ’11–Genesis Contracting International
• Jimmy VanEerden ‘12 and Gret Glyer ’12–VanGlyer Social Enterprise
• Lydia Smith ’12–Cusco Cui Farms

*($250 to each team; winners are in no particular order)

Judges

Commercial Enterprise:

• Matthew Caiazza, Sr. Consultant, Meridian Group
• Yvonne English ‘97, Principal and Mentor, Social Animal Media, LLC
• Richard Epstein, Esq., Managing Partner, Ekker, Kuster, McConnell & Epstein, LLP
• Ken Faulconbridge, V.P. Commercial Lending, Northwest Savings Bank
• John Mastrian, CPA, Retired Partner, Black Bashor & Porsch, LLP

Social Enterprise:

• Wade Fisher ‘92, Senior Associate, Ekker, Kuster, McConnell & Epstein, LLP
• Larry Fleming, CPA, Professor of Accounting (retired), Grove City College
• Ronald McCall, Esq., Partner, Ekker, Kuster, McConnell & Epstein, LLP
• Karen Palmer, Asst. Branch Manager, PNC Bank
• John Stillwaggon ‘84, CPA, Partner, Stillwaggon & McGill

2009 Elevator Pitch Competition Winners

For Profit*:

• Jordan Koschei (Freelance Task)
• Marshall Rein & Adam Brewer (Delectable Deliveries)
• Sharon Seiter (Sharie Kay Activewear)
• Lydia Smith (Five Brothers Bakery)

Non-Profit*:

• Brittany Hayward (Connect Now)
• Andrew McIndoe & Shane Murphy (The Eternal Fountain Project)
• Rachel Paul (SE Energy Solutions)
• Rebekah VanEerden (Poderoso)

Science/Technology*:

• Andy Dovan & Jimmy VanEerden (Urban Solutions)
• Jordan Koschei (PosterRemix.com)
• Christopher Marasco (Fusion Films, LLC)

Creative Thinking*:  

• Jayna Grassel & Rachael Genders (The D.A.D.S.)
• Brittany Hayward (Excellence Academy)
• Faith Piper (Impact Life)
• Jimmy VanEerden & Spencer Folmar (Leave a Legacy, Inc.)

*($250 to each team; winners are in no particular order)