Ole Miss Team Defeats Mississippi State in Inaugural 'Business Egg Bowl'

The InnovatHers, as the trio called themselves, presented MoveClear, a strategic young adult retention plan offering fresh user engagement ideas for the Regions mobile app. The pitch earned praise from a panel of Regions Bank executives for its innovation, feasibility and understanding of customer needs.

"I originally came up with the concept as a way to help young adults feel more confident about major life transitions, such as moving to a new city, starting a job or saving for their first apartment," said Mary Margaret McCracken, a senior entrepreneurship major from Austin, Texas, and member of the winning team.

Collaborating with team members and fellow seniors Ella Gough, of Morganfield, Kentucky, and Hannah Smith, from Carriere, breathed new life and practicality into the idea, McCracken said. All three teammates believe their concept could make a real difference for the bank's customers.

The competition featured four finalist teams, two from Ole Miss and two from Mississippi State. Each had 20 minutes to present business plans before judges, whose evaluation scored presentations based on several factors, including creativity, clarity and potential impact.

Each member of the InnovatHers received a $500 gift certificate along with a Regions bike and helmet.

UM's second finalist team, Canopy, shared ideas for a new digital user interface that included clear visuals and resources to help young adults gain control of their finances.

Larry Goehrig, instructional assistant professor of management at the Ole Miss School of Business Administration, worked with Regions Bank staff to create the competition that launched with 17 Ole Miss student teams developing solutions for challenges Regions faces as it serves customers.

Teams researched consumer behavior and refined their pitches for weeks before presenting to judges at the Gertrude C. Ford Ole Miss Student Union on Oct. 27-28. After a day of deliberation by the judges, two finalist teams advanced.

The Rebels' victory comes ahead of the annual Egg Bowl football rivalry game between Ole Miss and MSU on Nov. 28 in Starkville.

"Competitions like this push you to apply what you learn in the real world, not just on paper," Gough said. "You grow so much by pitching your idea, getting feedback and problem-solving as a team.

"It's an experience every business student should have."

The friendly academic competition offers fresh perspectives for the company while also enriching students' professional skills, said John Jordan, head of retail at Regions.

"Innovation, collaboration and growth are key pillars to any vibrant business, and Ole Miss delivered incredible and forward-thinking presentations," he said. "Regions has a clear vision for serving the next generation of customers, and it's so important we hear directly from that generation. That's why we were so impressed by these students.

"We appreciate the collaboration with Ole Miss, and we look forward to building even more connections with the next generation of business and banking leaders."

Top: UM management professor Larry Goehrig (left) and John Jordan (right), head of retail at Regions Bank, congratulate InnovatHers team members Ella Gough (second from left), Mary Margaret McCracken and Hannah Smith on winning the inaugural Regions Bank of Ideas Challenge. In the Nov. 13 competition in Tupelo, the team, all senior entrepreneurship majors at Ole Miss, presented their pitch for a young adult retention plan called MoveClear. Submitted photo