Clothing Manufacturer Named 2008 Student Entrepreneur of the Year

Steven Rosenbeck presents at the 2008 Student
Entrepreneur of the Year competition.PROVO, Utah – Nov 1, 2008 – While most students at Brigham Young University are focused on midterms and papers, a number are concerned about employees, revenues and business contracts. Each year, student business owners compete for $5,000 and the title of Student Entrepreneur of the Year. Steven Rosenbeck, founder of Garb GameDay Wear, is this year's winner.

"The SEOY competition recognizes amazing students who not only carry a full load of classes but also manage to run fast-growing, often highly profitable business ventures," says John Richards, SEOY director and business management professor.

Rosenbeck, a senior majoring in business management from Colfax, Wash., returned from a two-year mission in the Philippines wanting to help the people improve their standard of living.  Rosenbeck saw a business opportunity when he learned small clothing retailers in the United States could not afford the 50,000 piece minimum orders required by overseas factories. He bought two acres of land in the Philippines and built two clothing manufacturing factories where he employs more than 50 Filipinos and doesn't require minimum orders.

"I wanted to help the people in that country and provide them with jobs that would give them a better life," says Rosenbeck.

 Some of Garb GameDay Wear's customers include Missionary Mall, Undertease and Southern Virginia University athletic apparel.

The other SEOY finalists include second-place winner of $3,000, Steven Fellows, founder of iWrap, as well as third-place winner of $2,000, Mindy Petramalo, founder of K-9 Designs Mobile Dog Grooming.

 "The SEOY competition is one of the few ways that student entrepreneurs with current businesses are recognized," says Derek Pando, president of the BYU Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization "The sacrifices they make to run a business while in school are so great that they deserve recognition."

Along with cash prizes, the top three finalists were also given in-kind awards from SEO.com, a search engine optimization company, and Funding Universe, a company that connects angel investors and entrepreneurs.

In 1992, the BYU Center for Entrepreneurship established the SEOY Competition in an effort to reward degree-seeking students who manage their own businesses. Past winners of the SEOY Competition include Jonathan Coon, founder of 1-800-CONTACTS; David Bateman, founder of DearElder.com; and Jonathan Freedman, founder of Down East Outfitters.

The Marriott School is located at Brigham Young University, the largest privately owned, church-sponsored university in the United States. The school has nationally recognized programs in accounting, business management, public management, information systems and entrepreneurship. The school's mission is to prepare men and women of faith, character and professional ability for positions of leadership throughout the world. Approximately 3,000 students are enrolled in the Marriott School's graduate and undergraduate programs.