GNTC Qualifies 11 For National Pro Skills Competition

After qualifying six national qualifiers for the Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) National Leadership Conference (NLC) competition last year, Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) raised the bar for 2017. After the state PBL competition wrapped up in Atlanta, Georgia this past weekend, the Bobcats would find themselves planning 11 trips to nationals in Anaheim, California June 24-27.

GNTC would take home 19 state awards for their business skill knowledge and career-related performances in Atlanta, Georgia. Competitions against the best in the state tested the understanding of career paths which included everything from Accounting to Website Design.

All entries at the state competition which placed first or second in performance events, as well as all entries which placed first, second, or third in written events, qualified for competition at the NLC event in California this summer.

Members of the Georgia Northwestern Technical College Phi Beta Lambda team competing in Atlanta this past weekend stopped for a picture. In the front row, from left, are Jonathan Herrera, Demonte Parker, Jalen Hamilton, Miguel Ramirez, Cage Gary, Darius Fugh, Brett Notabartolo, Ronal Bueso, Nicholas Post, and Bryan Tapia. Standing, from left, are Cynthia Kirk, Allie Long, Brandy LeVan, Corey Carlile, Amanda Teeters, Selena Spivey, Sprite Dyer, Jennifer Sandoval, Meagan Casker, Melisa Fajardo, and Elisabeth Harp.

Bobcats qualifying from GNTC’s team for the West Coast trip are Corey Carlile of Aragon, Georgia in Small Business Management Plan (1st); Nicholas Post of LaFayette, Georgia, Cage Gary of Ringgold, Georgia, and Brett Notabartolo of Trion, Georgia in Management Analysis and Decision-Making Team Event (1st); Gary and Notabartolo in Marketing Analysis and Decision-Making (1st); Ronal Bueso of Dalton, Georgia and Jonathan Herrera of Dalton, Georgia in Business Sustainability Team Event (1st); Miguel Ramirez of Rome, Georgia in Management Concepts (1st); Allie Long of Ringgold, Georgia in Organizational Leadership (2nd); Selena Spivey of Dalton, Georgia in Computer Animation (2nd); Elisabeth Harp of Calhoun, Georgia and Amanda Teeters of Chickamauga, Georgia for Desktop Publishing Team Event (2nd); and Harp in Networking Concepts (3rd).

Harp and Carlile are making a repeat appearance on the national stage. Both qualified to compete at the national competition in 2016. Harp placed ninth in the nation in Computer Concepts. Three years ago, Dalton, Georgia’s Mario Trejo from GNTC took home the nation’s top spot in the Justice Administration category.

Other categories GNTC placed in at the State PBL Competition were; Hospitality Management Team Event (3rd) by Melisa Fajardo of Dalton, Georgia and Bueso; Business Communications (3rd) by Ramirez; Help Desk (3rd) by Fajardo; Future Business Executive (4th) by Jalen Hamilton of Rome, Georgia; Computer Concepts (4th) by Teeters; Statistical Analysis (4th) by Long; Accounting For Professionals (5th) and Accounting Principles (5th) by Cynthia Kirk of Rockmart, Georgia; Sales Presentation (5th) by Corey, and Management Concepts (5th) by Meagan Casker of Calhoun, Georgia.

“We had a solid team in Atlanta,” said GNTC PBL Advisor Dione Waddington. “Almost doubling our number of national qualifiers from last year just proves how much this group has grown. We could see multiple winners at nationals.” Also participating from GNTC at the state PBL event were Demonte Parker, Darius Fugh, Sprite Dyer, Bryan Tapia, Jennifer Sandoval, and Brandy LeVan.

PBL, along with the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), is the largest and oldest student business organization in the nation. Students will participate in more than 55 business and business-related competitive events at the NLC. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the professional skills organizations.

For more information on Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s Phi Beta Lambda professional skills association, you can call the college at 866-983-4682. For information online, visit the college at GNTC.edu, as well as on GNTC’s Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Google+, WordPress, and YouTube channels. GNTC is a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) and an equal opportunity institute.

Georgia Northwestern Technical College provides quality workforce education to the citizens of Northwest Georgia. Students have the opportunity to earn an associate degree, diploma, or a certificate in business, health, industrial, or public service career paths. This past year, 14,151 people benefited from GNTC’s credit and noncredit programs. With an annual credit enrollment of 7,956 students, GNTC is the largest college in Northwest Georgia. GNTC has an additional enrollment of 6,195 people through adult education, continuing education, business and industry training, and Georgia Quick Start.

# # #

Don Foley Assistant Director, Marketing and PR