January 29, 2012
CONTACT: Tom Pink, 906-635-2315, ; John Shibley, 635-2314, ; I-500 Media Director Peter Pietrangelo, 235-4893,
LSSU INVESTMENT CLUB PLAYS LARGE ROLE IN I-500 MARKETING
By Peter Pietrangelo
I-500 Publicity
SAULT STE. MARIE – The Lake Superior State University Investment Club played a big role in marketing for the 45th annual International 500 Snowmobile Race, to be held Saturday, Feb. 2. As a result, the club is earning money to help with expenses on its annual trip to New York City.
Working with the I-500 board of directors, the club sold advertising for the newly expanded Raceweek program in advance of race week and will be selling programs at the race itself. LSSU senior business administration student Miranda Fortenberry, Sault Ste. Marie, shepherded a team of eight LSSU students to sell advertising throughout the community. The students sold more than $4,000 worth of advertising to pay for production of the 45th annual I-500 Raceweek commemorative programand earned more than $650 for the club’s annual trip.
Fortenberry worked closely with LSSU alumni Michael Willette ‘08 and Peter Pietrangelo ’10 on the project,which representatives of the I-500 said they hope will bring in more than $7,000 toward future enhanced marketing initiatives.
“We set lofty goals for the LSSU Investment Club, and they surpassed those high expectations,” Willette said. “We had to add more pages to the program to accommodate all the advertising they sold. Their hard work enables us to give our customers more value.”
“This has been a wonderful learning experience for all involved,” Fortenberry said. “It is a hands-on project that creates camaraderie and teaches business relations in a very forthcoming manor. Everyone who had a part in this project, or will in the future, will benefit.”
Club members who participated in the project included Alex Feravich, a senior sports and recreation management major from Cedar Springs; Andrew Althaus, senior, finance and economics, Temperance; Tina VanAlstine, senior, accounting; Kati Voigt, senior, finance and economics; Brenna Moher, junior, accounting; Allison Walsh, sophomore, accounting; Sam Gilbert, junior, finance and economics, all from Sault Ste. Marie; and Ramsey A’ve, senior, political science, Detroit.
The Investment Club is selling programs for $5 each throughout Sault Ste. Marie during “raceweek” and will be selling them at the I-500 track on raceday.The International 500 Snowmobile Race is the oldest, longest oval snowmobile race in North America. It has been a 100-percent volunteer effort since its inception in 1969.
LSSU’s Investment Club was founded in 1999 to allow students to enhance their knowledge of stock analysis, economic trends, global finance behavior and stock portfolio management. The club holds a portfolio of securities and cash that is managed by students who follow market data and conduct fundamental stock analysis under the advising of LSSU finance faculty. The club’s advisor is Prof. Gerald Root CFA.
For more information about the club or LSSU business and finance programs, visit lssu.edu. For more information about the I-500, visit i-500.com
-LSSU-