We’re just days away until Business Wire heads to New York city to ring the opening bell with Warren Buffett, chairman & CEO of Business Wire’s parent company, Berkshire Hathaway, at the New York Stock Exchange. Meeting Mr. Buffett along with Business Wire’s chairman and CEO Cathy Baron Tamraz is our college video contest winner 21-year-old Jenna Marie James, a senior majoring in telecommunications at Ball State University. Students were asked to answer the question “What is the future of public relations and communications?” and Jenna was chosen based on creativity, originality and appropriateness to theme. Read press release here.
We asked Jenna how she was feeling about winning the contest and she shared, ” This is all still so surreal to me. I got a golden ticket! I feel like Charlie in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory except Willy Wonka is Warren Buffett and the Chocolate Factory is The Stock Market Luncheon. I’m just trying to soak it all in and get everything ready in order to head to New York.”
Check out Jenna’s video below and learn how this superstar is training to meet one of the most influential people in the world:
We knew there was a reason to open up Business Wire college video contest to Canada and one of our top ten finalists is proof it was the right decision. Zan Zhang, a junior working towards his Bachelor of Commerce at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada may just win the grand prize with the winner to meet Warren Buffett, chairman & CEO of Business Wire’s parent company, Berkshire Hathaway, at Business Wire’s NYSE Opening Bell luncheon on September 30th, 2011. View Zan’s video here (9th one).
When asked why Zan wanted to meet Mr. Buffett, he answered “I want to meet Mr. Buffett because he is someone that has helped shape my life, just as Benjamin Graham influenced his. Currently, the principles of Graham’s value investing are fading into the past, with few advocates leading its future. I hope to continue spreading financial literacy and investing discipline to emerging markets around the world, and Mr. Buffett can definitely help me progress along the correct path.”
Zan Zhang is the previous President & CEO (2009-11 of Investors of Tomorrow, Canada’s largest charity devoted to spreading financial literacy amongst youth, as well as the Queen’s University Investment Counsel, which invests a real-money portfolio of approximately $600,000 in equity markets. In the fall semester, he will be going on an academic exchange as part of his program to Tsinghua University in Beijing, China.
When Zan isn’t investing or learning about investing, he is playing the piano. Zan was a music instructor and has also won awards for classical piano at the ARCT-Performance level. You can even listen to him play on his video.
Show your support to all the top video finalists on our Facebook page and let our executive judging committee including Business Wire’s chairman and CEO Cathy Baron Tamraz and President Gregg Castano your favorites by commenting and “liking” them. You can also show your support on Twitter using hashtag #BWZAN.
One google search on “How to meet Warren Buffett” was the beginning for our next finalist who is now one of the top ten finalists in Business Wire college video contest. Stephen Roegge, a sophomore studying Business Administration at Georgia Tech, has always been a fan of Mr. Buffett and is even more so after he finished reading The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life. The winner of the contest will meet Warren Buffett, chairman & CEO of Business Wire’s parent company, Berkshire Hathaway, at Business Wire’s NYSE Opening Bell luncheon on September 30th, 2011. View Stephen’s video here (8th one).
When asked why Stephen wanted to meet Mr. Buffett, he answered “I want to meet Mr. Buffett because he is one of the smartest people in the world. He is seriously my #1 role model and getting to meet him would make me the happiest college student in the world.”
Stephen was born and raised in Alpharetta, Georgia and has a real love for Atlanta sports. His favorite team is the Atlanta Hawks, but he is also a huge fan of the Atlanta Falcons and the Atlanta Braves.
Stephen is still unsure what his future holds, but he knows it will involve business and investing as these are his main interests. He hopes to have a job in the future that allows him to work hard and also allows him to make the world better. Stephen feels Mr. Buffett is a great example of both and consider Mr. Buffett a major inspiration.
Show your support to all the top video finalists on our Facebook page and let our executive judging committee including Business Wire’s chairman and CEO Cathy Baron Tamraz and President Gregg Castano your favorites by commenting and “liking” them. You can also show your support on Twitter using hashtag #BWSTEPHEN.
It’s been said in order to see the future, you must look into the past. Our next finalist for the Business Wire college video contest just did that. Shannon McGreal-Miller, a junior from Michigan State University studying Marketing, used examples from Abraham Lincoln’s campaign where Mathew Brady took a photo of Mr. Lincoln to communicate with voters that Mr. Lincoln was not the wild man he was being portrayed as. It ultimately changed his image allowing him to win the election. As a top ten finalist, Shannon may win a chance to meet Warren Buffett, chairman & CEO of Business Wire’s parent company, Berkshire Hathaway, at Business Wire’s NYSE Opening Bell luncheon on September 30th, 2011. View her video here (7th video).
When asked why she wanted to meet Mr. Buffett, Shannon answered “If I was able to meet Mr. Buffett I would be honored to hear any advice he had for a determined, college-student who wants to make an impact on the world! Meeting Mr. Buffett would be like Mufasa showing Simba Pride Rock in Lion King: Epic!!”
Shannon has a real passion for her hometown, which is also her college town, and considers herself a Spartan fan to the core. She credits this to the wonderful people including Val Berryman, curator of history at the MSU Museum. Shannon shares that prior to Mr. Berryman’s help she was planning on using spray paint and cardboard and is thankful to have Mr. Berryman as a resource. She has received numerous emails from her MSU professors, including the chairman of her department, and even received a Lincoln mug from a fan. Read her article in the MSU paper here.
Show your support to all the top video finalists on our Facebook page and let our executive judging committee including Business Wire’s chairman and CEO Cathy Baron Tamraz and President Gregg Castano your favorites by commenting and “liking” them. You can also show your support on Twitter using hashtag #BWSHANNON.
Our next finalist for the Business Wire college video contest knew she wanted to go into broadcast news when she anchored for her middle school’s morning announcement show Serendipity Live. Haley Lesavoy is a senior studying Journalism and Mass Communications at The George Washington University. She created one of our top ten selected videos, where the winner will meet Warren Buffett, chairman & CEO of Business Wire’s parent company, Berkshire Hathaway, at Business Wire’s NYSE Opening Bell luncheon on September 30th, 2011. View Haley and Bob’s video here (2nd one).
When asked why Haley wants to meet Mr. Buffett, she answered “He is a figure who has been able to achieve success while maintaining an honest, humble and well respected reputation. Most importantly, he is someone who emphasizes the importance of passion and doing what you love.”
As a lover of broadcasting, Haley does what she loves. Haley has worked for the school newspaper, television and radio stations and currently serves as Director of Productions for GWTV. In addition, she is host of her own music countdown show, Select Seven. She is a two-time Gracie Award Winner, recipient of the Loreen Arbus Award at the 2010 College Emmy’s, has worked as a freelancer for Bloomberg News in New York, and this past year produced and served as an on-camera reporter for the Washington Post website. Haley is currently contributing to the homeland security, terrorism, consumer safety, and aviation units at ABC News in Washington, D.C. She hopes to one day host her own entertainment show. You can view her work on her vimeo page including her college contest video outtakes.
Show your support to all the top video finalists on our Facebook page and let our executive judging committee including Business Wire’s chairman and CEO Cathy Baron Tamraz and President Gregg Castano your favorites by commenting and “liking” them. You can also show your support on Twitter using hashtag #BWHALEY.
Next up is our signature artist Jenna James, a senior from Ball State University studying Telecommunications. With an assortment of sharpies and some loose pages of construction paper, Jenna brought to life her vision for the future of public relations and communications. As one of our top ten finalists in the Business Wire college video contest, Jenna is one step closer possibly winning a trip to New York city to meet Warren Buffett, chairman & CEO of Business Wire’s parent company, Berkshire Hathaway, at Business Wire’s NYSE Opening Bell luncheon on September 30th, 2011. View her video (4th video).
Jenna is no amateur to creating innovative videos. Each year, the NAB Education Foundation holds a PSA contest asking students to highlight the importance of freedome of speech and this year Jenna was named first place in the television category. View her PSA here. Jenna enjoys making these type of videos because she loves sharing her opinions and inspiring others.
When asked why she wanted to meet Mr. Buffett, Jenna answered, “I would be honored to have the opportunity to meet Mr. Buffett—to get to know the man behind the empire and better understand his character. His generosity and humble nature are inspiring.”
A main goal in Jenna’s life is always being creative. Whether it’s photography, film, painting or dance, she sees the importance for having an outlet for self expression. In addition to art, Jenna loves to travel and considers one of the best times in her life when she studied abroad in London. Two of her prized possessions are her ukulele Layla and her camera Eleanor.
Jenna’s favorite quote comes from Woodrow Wilson, “You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.” She hopes to always remember this responsibility.
Show your support to all the top video finalists on our Facebook page and let our executive judging committee including Business Wire’s chairman and CEO Cathy Baron Tamraz and President Gregg Castano your favorites by commenting and “liking” them. You can also show your support on Twitter using hashtag #BWJENNA.
Jessica Funcannon, a senior at Illinois State University studying Public Relations, is a living example of the future of communications. How did she hear about Business Wire’s college contest? By following and seeing a post on the contest by CEO of Lawrence Ragan Communications and one of the leading figures in the public relations industry Mark Ragan on Twitter (Thanks Mark Ragan!). She is now one of the top ten finalists for Business Wire’s college video contest where the winner will meet Warren Buffett, chairman & CEO of Business Wire’s parent company, Berkshire Hathaway, at Business Wire’s NYSE Opening Bell luncheon on September 30th, 2011. Students answered the question “What is the future of public relations and communications?” See Jessica’ video by clicking here (5th one).
With a passion for public relations, Jessica is currently on her fourth internship and an active member is her school’s PRSSA organization. Last year, as a member of PRSSA’s Bateman team, she helped design and implement a campaign in support of the 2010 census and received Illinois State University’s Civic Engagement Award. She was also featured in her local newspaper The Pantagraph for the contest.
When asked why she would likes to meet Mr. Buffett, Jessica answered, “What really intrigues me is that it he is so diversified in his abilities. Not only can he run numbers and invest wisely, but he can write and communicate in such a way that few people can. I would love to be able to have the opportunity to meet such an inspiring and clever man.”
Beyond being a self proclaimed “social media nerd”, Jessica loves anything creative or adventurous – sewing, fashion, photography, writing, motorcycle riding, and dressing up like Lady Gaga? Indeed. With her admitted similarities to the musical icon, Jessica became Lady Gaga for the day on the streets of Chicago, stopping traffic on Michigan Avenue. View the video here, created by Jessica’ s friend Sean Hagwell.
Show your support to all the top video finalists on our Facebook page and let our executive judging committee including Business Wire’s chairman and CEO Cathy Baron Tamraz and President Gregg Castano your favorites by commenting and “liking” them. You can also show your support on Twitter using hashtag #BWJESSICA.
It’s too bad we’re not having a contest for the most nicknames because our next finalist Robert Brown would take the prize. Robert Brown, also known as Bob, Bobby, Bobert, Beebs, and Bawb is one of our top ten college video finalists for Business Wire’s college video contest. In celebration for our 50th anniversary, one student will win a trip to New York City to meet Warren Buffett, chairman & CEO of Business Wire’s parent company, Berkshire Hathaway, at Business Wire’s NYSE Opening Bell luncheon on September 30th, 2011. Students were asked to answer the question “What is the future of public relations and communications?” Check out Robert’s video below.
Robert is a junior studying advertising at the Universityof Georgia, but his real passion is theatre which he has grown up doing in his hometown of Savannah. He has been in a number of plays including Pirates of Penzance, Seussical the Musical, and Beauty and the Beast. When he isn’t acting, he is practicing guitar, painting, writing music, watching the “best baseball team in the world” the Atlanta Braves and blogging on his personal blog: boblessordinary.blogspot.com
When asked why he wanted to meet Mr. Buffett, Robert answered, “Anybody who has been able to accomplish half as much as he has would find it hard not to scoff at the good natured but often naïve decisions of youth in the business. Mr. Buffet’s consistent character and sense of humility ring true with what I believe is an admirable business practice and ultimately inspire me to pursue the same values in my own business practices.”
Show your support to all the top video finalists on our Facebook page and let our executive judging committee including Business Wire’s chairman and CEO Cathy Baron Tamraz and President Gregg Castano your favorites by commenting and “liking” them. You can also show your support on Twitter using hashtag #BWROBERT.
Posted by Jessica Lueck, Marketing Associate 
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