Northwest Indiana Business Magazine

Northwest Indiana’s Leading Regional Business Magazine Since 1991

  • Home
  • Industries
    • Banking
    • Education
    • Health & Wellness
    • Manufacturing & Technology
    • Professional Services
    • Real Estate & Building
    • Small Business & Entrepreneurship
    • Tourism & Recreation
    • Transportation & Logistics
  • Community
    • Around the Region
    • Business News Bits
    • Economic Development
    • Events
    • Leadership
    • Making a Difference
  • Lifestyle
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Viewpoint
    • Publisher’s Note
  • Jobs
  • Webinars
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Past Issues Archive
    • Advertise With Us
    • Business News eNewsletter
    • Subscriptions and Renewals
    • Contributing Writers
    • Editorial and Business Advisory Board
    • Magazine Team
  • About
    • Contact
    • Advertise With Us
    • Subscriptions and Renewals
    • Our History
    • Privacy
    • Terms
  • Log In
You are here: Home / Community / Entrepreneurship / Merrillville entrepreneur wins Purdue University Northwest’s Big Sell competition

Merrillville entrepreneur wins Purdue University Northwest’s Big Sell competition

May 13, 2021 – By Larry Avila

PNW-Big-Sell_Rockland-Page
First place winner, Rockland Page, presents his final pitch to the judges at The PNW Big Sell competition. (Photo provided by Purdue University Northwest)

A concept by a Merrillville graphic designer and marketer took top honors in Purdue University Northwest’s Big Sell competition.

Rockland Page, owner of Merrillville-based RockaBlock, took first place and $10,000 for his Freedom Fighters t-shirt design which brings together fashion, history and technology. Second place went to Emily Edwards of Schererville, founder of Emily’s Foods, who was awarded $5,000 for her plant-based Paradise snack packs.

The third-place award of $2,500 was Artunity’s founder, Jay Weinberg of Valparaiso, whose business idea offers the public an opportunity to donate to an artist for a chance to win original artwork.

“This type of event is important,” said Mont Handley, entrepreneur in residence and associate director of the PNW Commercialization and Manufacturing Excellence Center. “It provides recognition to those who are gaining traction with their startups, motivation to those who are interested in entrepreneurship and serves to promote an emerging entrepreneurial ecosystem in Northwest Indiana.”

This year’s event, under the direction of Handley and Alexandra Moran, clinical instructor of entrepreneurship at PNW, was streamed live from WJOB housed inside PNW’s CMEC building in Hammond. The 12 finalists delivered a six-minute pitch to a three-member panel of judges made up of local entrepreneurs, David Olivencia, Kristin Burton and Kelli Jones.

In addition to the three winners, a Fan Favorite Award was presented to Merrillville resident, Michelle Pearson, chief executive officer at MPB Essential Technology Inc., generated the most audience praise for her pitch.

“Our hope is that these entrepreneurs continue to move forward, keep going, and keep pressing on with their innovations,” said Moran. “We’re trying to create a community ecosystem of entrepreneurs and this is just one piece of it.”

The PNW Big Sell final pitch competition can be viewed on-demand at jedtv.com.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Larry Avila
Follow me
Larry Avila
Larry is an award-winning journalist with more than 25 years of experience working with daily newspapers and business-to-business publications around the Midwest. Avila is a Michigan native and a graduate of Central Michigan University.
Larry Avila
Follow me
Latest posts by Larry Avila (see all)
  • Valparaiso University names new director of athletics - May 23, 2022
  • ALDI set to reopen renovated Gary store May 26 - May 23, 2022
  • Construction firms honored for safety, project quality - May 20, 2022

Filed Under: Business News Bits, Entrepreneurship Tagged With: Around the Region, Big Sell, Entrepreneurship, Purdue University Northwest, Rockland Page

Print Issue

April-May 2022

April-May 2022 issue

Magazine Articles

In this issue

Around the Region

2022 Best of Business

For the good of everyone

New venues take spotlight

LEED-ing the way to future

Green new future

Record-breaking housing boom

Catalyst for tasty change

Forging path into Indiana

True to its active mission

Viewpoint: Indiana’s future a sure bet

Categories

Archives

  • Home
  • Current Issue
  • Business News Bits
  • Archive
  • Advertise With Us
  • Subscriptions and Renewals
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Contact

© Copyright 1991-2022 Linker Media Group, Inc · All Rights Reserved

Posting....