2025 Case Competition for Family Ownership Brochure by SFBI

GREETINGS!

Welcome to the 3rd annual Cornell Case Competition for Family Ownership, hosted by Cornell University on our Roosevelt Island campus in New York City! The Cornell Case Competition for Family Ownership oﬀers current graduate students a unique opportunity to examine a family enterprise case up close, alongside the family themselves. This year, we have expanded the competition to welcome eight teams from some of the top business schools in the world.

This is the only case competition of its kind, where students and family business experts come together to demonstrate their understanding of the issues critical to family enterprises with a living, actually breathing case. This event brings together teams from leading business schools, select advisors, faculty, and family enterprise leaders sharing their challenges ﬁrsthand to receive real-time feedback and ideas concerning the future of their enterprise.

This event would not be possible without the generous support of Sam Seltzer '48, BanyanGlobal Family Business Advisors, and Wilmington Trust. Their continued support has elevated this to one of the premier family business case competitions in the world. We wish all competitors and teams the best of success over the next few days.

Sincerely,

Daniel Garrett Van Der Vliet

John and Dyan Smith Executive Director of Family Business

Smith Family Business Initiative

Sam Seltzer '48

Product Sponsors:

AGENDA

All times are EST

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2025

Rm 315 Judges: Petru Sandu-Elizabethtown College; Brett Scola-RSM US LLP; Judy Walsh-BanyanGlobal Family

Rm 325 Judges: Pierre duPont-Cerity Partners; Wesley Sine-Cornell University; Kevin Omar Williams-Crimson Impact

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2025 7:30

Second Round Case Presentations 10:00 a.m. - 11:55 p.m Room 315 Room 325

10:00 a.m. - 10:25 a.m. Team 1 Team 5

10:30 a.m. - 10:55 a.m. Team 2 Team 6

11:00 a.m. - 11:25 a.m. Team 3 Team 7 11:30 a.m. - 11:55 a.m. Team 4 Team 8

Rm 315 Judges: Petru Sandu-Elizabethtown College; Brett Scola-RSM US LLP; Judy Walsh-BanyanGlobal Family Business Advisors

Rm 325 Judges: Pierre duPont-Cerity Partners; Wesley Sine-Cornell University; Kevin Omar Williams-Crimson Impact Investments

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. –

2:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. Finalist 2

2:20 p.m. - 2:35 p.m. Finalist 3

2:40 p.m. - 2:55 p.m. Finalist 4

Judges: Wesley Sine-Cornell University; Judy Walsh-BanyanGlobal Family Business Advisors; Kevin Omar Williams-Crimson Impact Investments

2025 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS

Tristan Betz

Victoria Lai

Oscar Simon

Prima Giovanni

Harry Han

Ruby Lin

Mukul Goyal

Apurv Gupta

Wen Yeh Lee

Myoungil Choi

Gunwoo Min

Yeonghoon Yoo

Boston University, School of Law

Boston University, Questrom School of Business

Boston University, College of Engineering

Cornell University, SC Johnson College of Business

Columbia University, Columbia Business School

Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business

Karuna Chauhan Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management

Anushka Jain Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management

Javier Usabiaga Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management

Kevin Brar University of California Berkeley, Haas School of Business

Ben Lewis University of California Berkeley, Haas School of Business

Mack Pierson

Brette Baumhover

Karan Chevli

Sesha Tipirneni

University of California Berkeley, Haas School of Business

University of North Carolina, Kenan-Flagler Business School

Tom Alappat University of Virginia, Darden School of Business

Matt Cunningham University of Virginia, Darden School of Business

Julia Reynolds University of Virginia, Darden School of Business

BOSTON UNIVERSITY

TRISTAN BETZ

Tristan is currently a thirdyear J.D. candidate at Boston University School of Law. He received his B.S. in Business and M.S. in Accounting from Indiana University. Prior to attending law school, Tristan worked for three years in captive insurance management. He holds the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter designation, and following graduation, will be returning to the insurance industry.

VICTORIA LAI

Victoria Lai is a spirited, intentional, and creative leader with 8 years of experience driving ﬁnance and transformation initiatives at Fortune 100 companies. A certiﬁed Safe Agilist and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Victoria specializes in removing roadblocks by creatively implementing new tools and streamlining processes. Through the MBA, Victoria aims to channel her passion for social impact, sustainability, and consumer behavior, into helping businesses develop scalable long-term solutions. She is an active member of the Turner MIINT impact investing team, serves on the Venture Capital Committee, and is a leader in the Women in Business Association.

OSCAR SIMÓN VALBUENA

Oscar Simón Valbuena is a Master’s student in Mechanical Engineering at Boston University, where he is also pursuing MBA courses in Design Thinking and Entrepreneurship. He completed his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering at Boston University, graduating cum laude and earning multiple academic honors. Oscar’s professional experience spans private equity, business development, and strategy, with roles at Charme Capital Partners, Vitrolife, and several biotech startups. Beyond academics and work, Oscar co-founded and served as Vice President of The European Society at Boston University and has worked as a consultant for a growing family-owned restaurant in Colombia. In his free time, he competes in open-water swimming, enjoys literature from Hispanic and Russian authors, and previously competed at the highest level of his age group in basketball in his home country of Spain.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY, SC JOHNSON COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

MUHAMMAD PRIMA GIOVANNI

Muhammad Prima Giovanni is an entrepreneur from Indonesia that was born on September 15, 1994. Commonly known as Gio, he is a graduate of the Faculty of Economics at Universitas Indonesia and is currently pursuing a master's degree in Hospitality Management at Cornell University, New York. Among the businesses Gio manages are those in the hospitality industry under the banner of ABC Hospitality Group, which operates three hotels and one restaurant: Padi Heritage Malang, Briggs Inn Batu, Briggs Inn Surabaya, and Kopi Kali Brantas Restaurant. In addition, he is a co-owner of a goat

farm and a cheese factory located in Malang, with products marketed under the brand "Kejunesia." He also serves as an active commissioner at BPRS Al-Mabrur Ponorogo, an Indonesian Sharia Rural Bank which is a subsidiary of HIK Group, the biggest sharia rural bank group in Indonesia.

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, COLUMBIA BUSINESS SCHOOL

HARRY HAN

Harry Han is a seasoned entrepreneur with a proven track record of founding and scaling four successful companies. His ventures span diverse industries, including an e-commerce platform, a brand management company, a design studio, and a luxury travel agency. Harry holds a bachelor's degree in Entrepreneurship from Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. Currently, he is further enhancing his expertise by pursuing a Master of Management in Hospitality (MMH) degree at Cornell University.

RUBY LIN

Ruby Lin, a California native of Taiwanese heritage, is pursuing an MBA and MMH dual degree at Kyoto University and Cornell University, driven by her passion for hospitality, entrepreneurship, and sustainable agriculture. With experience in Finance and Operations, as well as past involvement on the district board of Rotary International and the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce during her time at the University of Southern California, she plans to continue supporting her family business and pursuing entrepreneurship and philanthropy after graduation. In her free time, Ruby enjoys running, reading, and spending time with her niece and nephew.

MUKUL GOYAL

Mukul completed his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and started his career in Management Consulting in India. Later, he joined his family business in steel and zinc manufacturing prior to starting his MBA at Columbia Business School.

APURV GUPTA

Apurv completed his master’s degree in Mathematics and Scientiﬁc Computing at Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur and started his career as a Data Scientist at IBM in India. After starting his MBA at Columbia Business School, he did a summer internship at Samsung, and will be joining McKinsey post-graduation.

WEN YEH LEE

Wen Yeh studied her masters in Chemical Engineering at University of Cambridge and started her career in Energy Investment Banking in London. She has been working at her family business in animal feed and human food additive distribution and manufacturing prior to starting her MBA at Columbia Business School.

MYOUNGIL CHOI

With a diverse background spanning publishing and manufacturing, Myoungil has honed his skills in project management, strategic analysis, and stakeholder communication. As an Associate Manager at Hanshin Machinery, which is his family business, that led initiatives that streamlined domestic sales operations, resulting in increased client acquisition and revenue growth. Previously, as an Editor at Youlhwadang Publishers, he championed innovative book projects, successfully negotiating contracts and building engaged communities around literature. Myoungil adaptability and ability to drive impactful results reﬂect his commitment to continuous growth and excellence in diverse professional settings.

GUNWOO MIN

As a ﬁrst-year MBA student with over a decade of experience in manufacturing, I bring a unique blend of hands-on expertise and strategic vision. As a director in my family-owned business specializing in medical devices and precision components, I’ve worn many hats—managing everything from strategy and R&D to operations, supply chain, quality assurance, sales, and talent acquisition. This multifaceted role has not only honed my ability to tackle complex challenges but has also deepened my passion for driving meaningful changes in family-run enterprises. Fun fact: Before stepping into the family business, I was a full-time YouTuber, traveling across Southeast Asia to capture the essence of cultural diversity through street interviews.

YEONGHOON YOO

Yeonghoon was born and raised in South Korea and earned his bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, specializing in semiconductor physics. Following his studies, he worked as an engineer at Applied Materials for eight years across China, Taiwan, and South Korea. Seeking career advancement and broader opportunities, he is currently pursuing a Full-Time MBA at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business.

NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY, KELLOGG SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

KARUNA CHAUHAN

Originally from Vadodara, India, Karuna is a third-generation member of the family business and the ﬁrst woman in the family to join it. With a diverse portfolio spanning textiles, real estate, warehousing, etc., their business reﬂects both a legacy of growth and a commitment to innovation. In her previous role at Amber Spintex, a B2B textile manufacturer, she led the company’s expansion into international markets, strengthening our global footprint and setting new standards for growth. Currently at Kellogg, she is focused on advancing my strategic and leadership skills to prepare for her next chapter in the family business.

ANUSHKA JAIN

Anushka Jain is currently a student at Kellogg and serves as the co-president of the Kellogg Family Enterprise Club. She is originally from Bangalore, India, where her family owns a manufacturing enterprise.

Anushka previously worked for the Perot Family in early-stage venture capital, driving investments in emerging industries across global markets. At Kellogg, Anushka continues to hone her leadership skills while exploring her passions for swimming, cooking, and traveling.

JAVIER USABIAGA

Javier is currently pursuing an MBA in the two-year program at Kellogg and holds a bachelor’s degree in ﬁnance and accounting from ITAM in Mexico City. In a previous role as the Finance Director at Mr. Lucky

from 2020 to 2023, Javier led a team responsible for ﬁnancial planning, and analysis, tax compliance, cash ﬂow and budget tracking. Also, led the evaluation and execution of potential M&A opportunities to consolidate markets and expand the product portfolio. Prior to this, he served as an Investment Banking Analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch from 2018 to 2020, focusing on Latin America and Mexico coverage, advising clients on capital markets and M&A deals across various industries.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY, HAAS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

KEVIN BRAR

As a ﬁrst-generation professional and MBA candidate at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business, Kevin brings a unique perspective combining a decade of biologics discovery experience with deep roots in

family business. Growing up on his family's farm while building a career in biopharma, where he specializes in developing innovative therapeutic solutions, Kevin has gained invaluable insights into both multi-generational business dynamics and cutting-edge innovation. His focus at Haas on leadership development and business strategy reﬂects his commitment to making meaningful impacts in both healthcare and family enterprise sectors.

Ben Lewis is a Business Intelligence and Analytics Manager in the oil and gas industry, dedicated to helping organizations streamline operations through technology integration and task automation. With a strong background in implementing innovative solutions that enhance workﬂow eﬀiciency, Ben has a proven ability to bridge the gap between technical advancements and practical business needs. Ben is currently pursuing a MBA at the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley to focus on strengthening his leadership capabilities to better

support his team and prepare for a strategic pivot into the ﬁnance sector.

MACK PIERSON

Mack holds a master’s degree in engineering and began his career as an academic researcher specializing in systems modeling, analysis, and optimization. He has since gained experience in product development and process improvement across companies of all sizes. In his current role as a product owner, Mack translates market conditions, customer needs, and business goals into actionable objectives, designs solutions, and leads teams through execution. He evaluates the impact of changes to ensure alignment with the project objectives. Mack is eager to apply his strategic and analytical skills to address complex business challenges and deliver impactful results.

BEN LEWIS

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, KENAN-FLAGLER

BUSINESS SCHOOL

BRETTE BAUMHOVER

Brette Baumhover is a marketing professional currently pursuing an MBA at UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, with concentrations in Marketing, Strategy, and Organizational Leadership. With nearly a decade of experience in a family-owned business specializing in international imports for the tabletop industry, Brette has honed her expertise in marketing and product development. Her career is distinguished by a strong emphasis on branding and strategic initiatives aimed at driving growth and elevating brand presence in competitive markets.

KARAN CHEVLI

Karan is a ﬁrst-year MBA student at UNC Kenan-Flagler. Previously, he worked as a Software Engineer at Mastercard before transitioning to his family’s textile manufacturing business, where he led facility operations and spearheaded new business development in sustainable textiles.

SESHA TIPIRNENI

Sesha Tipirneni is a 1st-year UNC MBA student with a background in technology and manufacturing. He holds a Computer Science degree from the University of Maryland. Prior to starting his MBA, he worked at Capital One as a software engineer and later transitioned into his family’s manufacturing business in India. His hobbies are basketball, traveling, and exploring new cultures.

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA, DARDEN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

TOM ALAPPAT

Tom Alappat is a second-year MBA candidate at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, where he serves as the Senior Portfolio Manager for Darden Capital Management's ~$5M AUM small-cap fund and has represented Darden at multiple national stock pitch competitions. This past summer, he interned at Oliver Wyman, supporting private equity ﬁrms with due diligence processes on investment opportunities. Prior to Darden, he worked in research and development at Raytheon and Northrop Grumman, focusing on optical sensing solutions. Tom earned a BS in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

MATT CUNNINGHAM

Matt Cunningham is a second-year MBA student at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, concentrating in general management and operations. He also serves as the Executive Vice President of the Darden Private Equity Club. This past summer, he interned with the portfolio operations group of a middle-market private equity fund, where he contributed to value creation initiatives for one of its portfolio companies. After graduation, Matt will return full-time as a Senior Director at the same portfolio company, focusing on driving strategic and operational growth. Before attending Darden, Matt worked at Accenture in the Industry X group, where he specialized in innovation and engineering solutions. He earned his undergraduate degree in systems engineering from UVA.

JULIA REYNOLDS

Julia Reynolds is a second-year MBA candidate and Breakthrough Scholar at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business where she serves as President of the Darden Private Equity Club. After her ﬁrst year at Darden, she interned on the Value Creation team at Evergreen Services Group, a lower middle-market private equity fund based in San Francisco. At Evergreen, Julia worked on post-close value creation initiatives across multiple operating companies, including recently acquired family businesses. After graduation, she will join Evergreen’s “CxO” program which is designed to develop operating company leaders. Prior to Darden, Julia worked in Investor Relations and Business Development at a quantitative hedge fund in NYC. She earned a BA in Literature from Hamilton College.

Thank you once more to our supporters BANYANGLOBAL FAMILY BUSINESS ADVISORS, SAM SELTZER '48, and WILMINGTON TRUST for your continued support over the years. This event would not be possible without your generosity.

Thank you to our product sponsors: FARMER JON'S POPCORN for the sensational popcorn, JACKSON'S for the tasty chips you can feel good about eating, and RED JACKET ORCHARDS for the delectable beverages.

We would also like to thank Cornell students GRACE HONG, EMBA CLASS OF 2026, and IVANNE BIKAI, EMBA CLASS OF 2026, for volunteering their time for this event.

SMITH FAMILY BUSINESS INITIATIVE AT CORNELL

389 Statler Hall

Ithaca, New York 14853

http://business.cornell.edu/familybusiness blog: fambizsuccess.wordpress.com #CornellFamBiz

Cover image: Shelley Kusnetz Photography Bios and headshots are courtesy of the participants. All other photos are courtesy of University Photography.