http://www.acg.org/Detroit_Video/tabid/367/Default.aspx

The Detroit Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), a premier organization of corporate growth driven professionals with more than 280 members, proudly announces its 3rd
Annual ACG Detroit Cup, an intercollegiate competition among students at schools in Southeastern Michigan to find the brightest minds for the future of M & A. Students will gain invaluable feedback from judges, expand networks, and compete for scholarships.
Founded in 1954, the Association for Corporate Growth, Inc. is the premier global association for professionals involved in corporate growth, corporate development, and mergers and acquisitions. Today ACG stands at over 12,000 members from corporations, private equity, finance, and professional service firms representing Fortune 500, Fortune 1000, FTSE 100, and mid-market companies in 54 chapters in North America and Europe. Leaders in corporations, private equity, finance, and professional service firms focused on building value in their organizations belong to ACG. They recognize the multiple benefits of networking within an influential community of executives growing public and private companies worldwide.

Awards:


In addition to the scholarship, the first place winning team will be invited to attend the ACG Detroit/Crain’s Detroit Business Annual M&A Awards to be held in March 2010 (exact date TBD) where they will be presented with the ACG Detroit Cup.
NEW:
All Cup participants are eligible to apply for an internship with the global law firm Pinsent Masons in London in the summer of 2010. Pinsent Masons is interested in students of business, law or economics. One student will be chosen to complete a 4 to 8 week internship at Pinsent’s London office. The internship will be unpaid; however, the student will receive an accommodation stipend, airfare to London and assistance with the academic visitor visa. The student chosen will work with the corporate group on projects regarding M&A, securities offerings and company re-organizations.
Application Process:
To be considered for Round Two, teams consist of 3 – 5 team members will need to submit their application using the Application Form for each school to the designated on-campus school representative listed in the form (Please see the application form of your school for the internal deadline and additional requirements, if any). Each school will select 3 – 5 teams to compete in Round One based on the application and will forward the list of the selected teams that will complete at Round One, along with the assigned presentation schedule at Round One, to the ACG Detroit’s school liaison assigned to the school by Friday, January 8, 2010.
Each team will be assigned a team name; no school logos, colors or other indication of school affiliation will be allowed during Round Two.  Judging in Round Two will be "anonymous" – judges will not be told which teams represent which schools. To that end, we will segregate the students during the Round Two competition.
To be considered for the internship, students must compete in Round One at their respective schools and submit a copy of their CV, transcript and a cover letter to
jennifer_thompson@kellyservices.com
by January 30th. A short list of students will be selected for interviews which will take place the week of February (TBD).

Round One Competition: January 22, 2010 – January 30, 2010 (On-Campus)
Round One competition will be held at the campus of each participating school between January 22, 2010 and January 30, 2010. ACG Detroit will give access to a virtual data room containing an M&A case study to the teams selected to compete at Round One two weeks prior to the date of their Round One competition. The participating teams must submit a complete executive summary, via email, to ACG Detroit at least three days prior to the competition. During Round One, teams will present their analysis and recommendations to a panel of ACG judges for 30 minutes (including Q&A). After all teams present, the judges will choose a team to advance to the Round Two (Final Round), which will be held on Saturday, February 13, 2010 at Walsh College.

Round Two (Final Round): Saturday, February 13, 2010


Round Two will be held on Saturday, February 13, 2010 at Walsh College (3838 Livernois, Troy, MI 48007-7006) from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. On January 30, 2010, ACG Detroit will distribute a new case study to the six finalist teams selected to advance to Round Two. The teams will submit a complete executive summary, via email, to ACG Detroit by 5:00 pm on Wednesday, February 10, 2010. During the Round Two competition, six finalist teams will present their analysis and recommendations to a panel of ACG judges for 40 minutes (including the time for Q&A). After all teams present, the judges will announce the winners. Judges, teams, and guests will be invited back to the lobby for a closing reception. The winner of the internship will be announced at the reception.


Competition Rules:
·      
·     
Faculty Participation: Faculty is encouraged to assist teams with general topic questions and provide guidance on process for preparation of the presentation; however, all analysis should be performed entirely by team members. Coaching teams on presentation skills is also encouraged.
·     
Case Analysis - Questions about the case: If the teams have questions regarding the content of the case that cannot be answered with the materials provided in the case package, the teams should
not
conduct additional outside research. Instead, the teams should:
1)   
Make assumptions about any missing information, and
2)   
Indicate in their presentation the assumptions they have made.

·      
Regarding Cases: If the teams still have questions, all inquiries regarding Round One and Round Two cases should be directed to Mike Malaga at
mdmalaga@comerica.com
with copy to the ACG Detroit liaison to your school.
·      
Scope of Analysis: The scope of the analysis will be given in the case analysis.
·      
Presentation:
1)  
Presentation Materials:   A copy of the team’s presentation materials  with supporting analysis
in PDF format
must be submitted three (3) days prior to the date of the team’s presentation to Mike Malaga at
mdmalaga@comerica.com
with copy to ACG Detroit liaison to the school listed below (The contact information will also be provided in the instruction email when the case will be distributed).


2)   
Format: The format of the presentation (PowerPoint vs. handouts, discussion only, etc) is completely up to the team’s discretion. The team’s presentation should be whatever the team believes would most likely persuade the judges to hire the team as the investment banker of the transaction. Nevertheless, supporting analysis should be submitted as outlined three (3) days prior to the team’s scheduled presentation date.


3)   
Time to Present: Each team will be given 30 minutes in Round One and 40 minutes in Round Two to present their analysis, findings, and recommendations to the judges. There will not be a separate time allocated for question and answers. Q&A will take place during each team’s presentation. A 15-minute break will be given between presentations, and the teams should finish the set up during the break.


4)   
Agenda:  


a)   
Round One: All teams will meet at the room where the competition will be held for the welcome address and instruction. Teams who have presented may sit in on the remaining presentations of other teams but cannot come back to the room until it is their time to present.  


b)   
Round Two: All teams will meet in the auditorium for the welcome address, instructions, and order of presentations (to be announced on the date of Round Two). Student teams will return to their assigned rooms to wait until it is their time to present. Teams who have presented may sit in on the remaining presentations of other teams but cannot come back to the room until it is their time to present.


·      
Judging Process:


1)   
Round One: After the last presentation, judges will convene for 30 minutes to deliberate and select the team to move on to Round Two. Judges will announce the winning team and at the end of the conclusion of the competition.


2)   
Round Two: After the last presentation, judges will convene for an allocated time to make their selection of the winning team and the order of the other finalists.


·     
Attending Round One competition at other schools: All teams who have completed Round One can attend Round One competitions at other schools to observe. However, teams are not allowed to attend Round One competitions at other schools prior to their presentation at Round One. Please email Sharon Kimble at
acgdetroit@tc3net.com
if you would like to attend competitions held at other schools.