During spring 2017, one of the Notre Dame Investment Club’s travel teams partnered with the Notre Dame Institute for Global Investing (NDIGI) to participate in the Buckeye Capital Investor’s Annual Stock Pitch Competition in Columbus, Ohio.
The team was selected based upon the members’ level of involvement with the Investment Club as well as the Institute. Team members were Lorenzo Beer (FIN ’20), Marina Hrosz (FIN/ACMS ’19), Christopher Gauch (FIN/ECON ’17) and Connor Oleferchik (FIN ’17). Gauch and Oleferchik lead the team and mentored the underclassmen.
After extensively screening companies, the team decided to pitch Calavo Growers (CVGW), a small avocado packaging and distributing firm based in California. The team prepared for the competition over several weeks, performing due diligence in order to learn and understand the industry and become experts on Calavo Growers and its business model.
Kevin Burke, managing director of NDIGI, coached the team and helped them think through its investment thesis. Preparation also included rehearsing the pitch to peers and the Notre Dame Investment Club.
The team competed alongside four other teams from across the country. The judges for the event were professionals from KeyBank, the competition sponsor.
Even though the team didn’t win, the members returned to South Bend with a long list of accomplishments and valuable skills that will serve them in their careers.