Applying lessons to new projects

The top two undergraduate teams in Purdue’s 2011 Burton D. Morgan Business Plan Competition were from the College of Technology. Student Parker Woods and alumnus Josh Hall, both from the Department of Computer and Information Technology, received the $20,000 first prize for their mobile forensics business that can do on-the-scene extraction of information from cell phones. They were advised by faculty member Rick Mislan. In 2010, they were finalists in the same competition, but with a different product. Chris Thoman (pictured), an organizational leadership and supervision major, was awarded $10,000 for this second place entry. He hopes to build the LAKE Water Sports Complex, an extreme sport cable water park, in the Phoenix, Ariz., area. The complex would feature towed water sports, such as wake boarding or slalom water skiing, using cables. “It is a complex designed for beginners, weekend enthusiasts, and athletes of all ages to enjoy towed water sports,” Thoman said. “The kicker is that they’ll enjoy towed water sports without the conventional means of a boat.”