May 10, 2025
A team of Mayville State University business students participated in the 11th annual commercial credit case competition sponsored by the North Central Chapter of the Risk Management Association (RMA by ProSight) in April. Members of the fifth-place Mayville State team were Dustyn Nelsen, Cando, N.D.; Logan Maus, Thompson, N.D.; and Desidy Shwanke, Leeds, N.D.
Ten teams and 38 students representing seven universities around the region participated in the competition which was held at Bell Bank headquarters in Fargo, N.D. The event was supported by RMA nationally, along with the Fargo and Winnipeg RMA chapters, numerous sponsors, university representatives, team mentors, and numerous volunteers.
Mayville State University, the University of Manitoba, Minnesota State University Moorhead, Minot State University, the University of North Dakota, Concordia College, and North Dakota State University each had teams of three to five students in the competition. The competition began with a virtual kickoff meeting held on March 19, 2025, and ended with oral presentations by all groups on April 15. Approximately $8,000 in total prize money was paid out to the participants.
The students were provided with a case involving a commercial loan request from fictional borrower, Diamond Car Wash, for a new location, updated equipment, and a line of credit. The teams were provided with financial information on the company and its owners, along with industry resources to assist with their decision. Each team was paired with a mentor from their local banking community to provide guidance on the various components of the commercial lending process. That mentor for the Mayville State team was Mayville State alumnus Tom Capouch, who is with First State Bank.
Teams prepared a written loan presentation to summarize their response to the customer request, focusing on a thorough analysis of the company, the industry, and key drivers of the loan request. Written presentations were scored separately prior to the oral presentations. On the date of the competition, each group presented their solutions orally to a panel of judges made up of local lending professionals.
The competition was sponsored by Alerus Financial, American Federal Bank, Bank Forward, Banknorth, Bank of North Dakota, Bell Bank, Border Bank, Brady Martz, Bremer Bank, Choice Bank, Cornerstone Bank, First Interstate Bank, Gate City Bank, and Western State Bank.