FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
June 28, 2005
Contact: Shirley Melikian Armbruster
(559) 278-5292 or (559) 593-1815 

Business team wins second

national championship in HR Games

The Craig School of Business at California State University, Fresno captured first place at the National “HR Games” held during the 57^thh annual Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) National Conference this past week in San Diego.

            Replacing Cornell University as the reigning National Champions, Fresno State emerged as the No. 1 team out of a field of over 200 teams. This marks Fresno State’s second National Champion title (the last one was 2001), placing it in a tie with Cornell University for having the most National Champion HR Games titles.

The national title adds to the honors of human resource management students in the Craig School.  Also at this year’s SHRM national conference, the Craig School student chapter of SHRM received the “Top Ten” Superior Merit Award for the seventh year in a row.  

The HR Games uses a “Jeopardy” TV show format in which students’ knowledge in all areas of management practices, employee selection, labor and employee relations, compensation and benefits, training and development, and safety and health is tested. 

“Participating in the HR Games is a once in a lifetime experience.  It takes considerable dedication and hard work to prepare for competition, however, the knowledge and experience gained is definitely worth the effort,” stated Diane Decker, adviser, faculty member and former HR Games participant.

Team members Ethan Feist of Fresno, Kathy Copeland of Visalia, and Ellen Dias of Madera defeated the team from Utah State University in the national semi-final match and in the match for the national championship defeated an excellent team from North Carolina State

University. Other teams representing their regions and competing at the national competition

were Pennsylvania State University and Southwest Minnesota State University.  The national champions each received a $1,000 cash prize for their win, a medal and a team plaque. 

Capturing the title is the culmination of over six months of preparation and competition. This team of students also placed second in the California State Games held at CSU, Fresno in March and first in the Pacific West Regional Competition held at CSU, Sacramento in April.

Faculty members serving as coaches included Diane Decker (co-head coach), Dr. Rudy J. Sanchez (co-head coach), and Dr. Julie Olson-Buchanan (assistant coach) of the Craig School of Business..

According to Dr. Sanchez, “Winning the national championship is an amazing accomplishment. The quality of the competition at all levels--state, regional, and national--was fierce and our students performed exceptionally well. Success at this level requires mastery of a significant body of knowledge, teamwork, and game strategy. This achievement continues a long history of national success for the HR program in the Craig School of Business including a national title in 2001.”

The student chapter’s Top Ten Merit Award placed Fresno State among the best 10 chapters of the 430 nationwide. The merit award program provides opportunities for students to develop their professional skills, to be involved in community activities and to interact and network with local HR professionals.

 (Copy by Patricia Lomany, student chapter vice president, Merit Award)

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