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College of Environment and Design

Shark Tank 2019

Did they manage to sink or swim? The annual CED Shark Tank Competition, hosted by Donnie Longenecker’s Professional Practice class, follows aspiring entrepreneurs as they present landscape architecture business plans to local moguls. The goal of each group is to present a creative, yet realistic, business plan for a design firm. The student teams compete against one another in hopes of winning free registrations to the 2019 ASLA Conference in San Diego this November.

This year’s panel of sharks included:
Jon Williams, President and CEO of W+A Engineering (BLA, 1996)
Jacob Crowe, Partner at GreenSky (BBA, 1989)
Tom Reed, Mayor of Chattahoochee Hills (BBA, 1987)
Keyes Williamson, Principal at WLA Studio (MLA, 2007)
Jim Flannery, UGA Entrepreneur Program
Bob Pinckney, Director of UGA Entrepreneurship Program (BBA, 1982)

With a special guest appearance:
Sonia Hirt, Dean of College of Environment + Design

The winning team that swam their way to the top spot included:
Frances Arnall, Natalie Coleman, Hannah Fisher, Michael Hans and Barrett Teague

seattle scapes logo 

The team of five, created Seattle’scapes, a design firm located in the Lake Washington district that specialized in high-end residential design. Their mission was to bring together thoughtfully curated, innovative design with creative and unique solutions to the suburbs of the increasingly popular city of Seattle.

winning team with sharksPictured (left to right): Keyes Williamson, Jacob Crowe, Jon Williams, Michael Hans, Hannah Fisher, Frances Arnall, Barrett Teague, Natalie Coleman, Sonia Hirt, Tom Reed, and Donnie Longenecker

Not Pictured: Jim Flannery and Bob Pinckney

students celebrate

 

group discussion

This year’s competition was held in Studio 225, home of Terry Business College’s Entrepreneurship Program.

Congratulations to all the students who survived another Shark Tank, and thank you to the sharks!

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