from UNotes, the University of Hartford newsletter:

The Barney School of Business held its first Viking Fuel Oil Business Plan Competition, an event that will take place each year, on Thursday, April 29. Senior Rachel Cohen of Waterford, Conn., won the competition with her business plan for Rae Even, a restaurant offering an alternative social dining experience. She was chosen by Lew Steinberg, president of Viking Oil, and received a $250 award from the company.

The competition began as a capstone project with 11 undergraduate students from Barney's Entrepreneurial Studies program. The top three students each gave a 10-minute presentation that was judged by Barney faculty and Steinberg. Steinberg is the husband of Associate Professor of Marketing Margery Steinberg.

The winner of the business plan competition was announced at an awards banquet following the presentations.

At the banquet, several business students were honored for their accomplishments in various Barney programs, including the members of the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team. The seven students were recognized for being awarded first runner-up status for their work on the Micro Business Incubator (MBI) program during the SIFE regional competition on April 6.

Robert Golden, an MBA student, won the Young Entrepreneurs and Managers Society’s Entrepreneurial Spirit Award for his contributions to the Micro Business Incubator program. At the banquet, the society dedicated the award in honor of Corine Norgaard, who is stepping down after eight years as dean of the Barney School.