UMSL business students (from left) Tim Farmer, Nour Salmeen, Johnnie Fields and Tim Moehrle earned first place in the International Business Case Competition April 6.

Four students from the University of Missouri–St. Louis took home first place in the inaugural UMSL International Business Case Competition April 6.

The UMSL team was made up of business students Tim Farmer, Johnnie Fields, Tim Moehrle and Nour Salmeen. They competed against teams from Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo., and Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau.

Masterclock, a St. Charles-based company specializing in sophisticated timing systems, volunteered to lead the effort by offering a matching grant of $5,000 and to write the case. John Clark, the international sales manager at Masterclock, wrote the case based in the company’s strategic challenges.

Each team, made up of undergraduates, received the case problem on Friday evening, researched the issue and gave its presentation Saturday morning. Clark, Brian Palmer, chief procurement officer for Post Holding and Michael Kelley, international sales executive for Metal Exchange, judged the presentations by each undergraduate team. The judges were unaware what teams represented which university.

The UMSL team was awarded a $1,000 first prize and Southeast Missouri State University received a $500 Second prize.