EO recently announced the winner of its 2008 Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA): Dominic Coryell, a student from Northeastern University. Dominic’s company, Husky Express, is a high-tech laundry and dry-cleaning service.
Dominic emerged from a group of 26 finalists to win this year’s GSEA competition, a tremendous feat for top undergraduate student business owners. The annual competition, presented by Mercedes-Benz Financial, attracted 1,000+ collegians from more than 300 universities in 11 countries around the world. The finalists' businesses represented more than US$20 million in sales.
“The number and caliber of award nominations that GSEA receives is more impressive each year. We congratulate this year’s winners for distinguishing themselves from a talented pool of innovative young business owners,” said Dave Galbenski, EO Chairman. “Entrepreneurs drive economic recovery during down-turns. We are proud to offer programs like GSEA that nurture the next generation of business leaders.”
Dominic was also given the Innovation Award for Husky Express’ implementation of a fully-automated process that provides high-quality, next-day delivery and pick up of garments, efficiencies not commonly associated with the industry. Second place in the competition, as well as the recipient of the Lessons from the Edge Award, was Joseph Pascaretta from the University of Michigan, owner of Alps Technology International. Seth Flowerman from Cornell University was awarded third place and the Social Impact Award for his company, Career Explorations, LLC.
The 26 finalists—representing Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Australia and the United States—presented their businesses to a panel of accomplished business leaders, including Robert Toru Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad, and Peter Thomas, Chairman Emeritus of EO. The EO-assembled panel was held from 5-6 November in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Dominic will receive more than US$100,000 in cash and donated services by leading entrepreneurs, including Web services, public relations, general business consulting and printing, a year’s mentoring by an EO member and a year’s tuition to the EO Accelerator Program.