Platinum awards are usually associated with the music industry, but Eastern Michigan University business student organization earned a gold award and, in the process, captured a platinum — for the third consecutive year.
The platinum award winners are student members of the Association of Production and Inventory Control Systems (APICS), a business management organization with 183 national student chapters. APICS promotes the latest business management concepts and techniques.
EMU is one of only two chapters in Michigan and one of five nationwide to earn this distinction. The student chapters are judged on seminars, meetings, speakers and panel discussions offered throughout the year on various business topics.
The EMU chapter received a plaque and a monetary award Oct. 9 in San Diego at the APICS International Conference.
"Platinum means the chapter has maintained a gold award for five consecutive years," said Scharan Johnson, manager of APICS member services and chapter relations. "(EMU's) Region 14 is very active and there are no new chapters in line for platinum next year."
The association's recognition program offers to develop project management and team-building skills as well as career support, Johnson said.
A presentation on internships and a seminar, "Seven Reasons Why Enterprise Resource Planning Implementation Fails," were among the activities that helped the EMU chapter win the award, said Nesa Wu, student adviser and professor of computer and information systems at EMU. Wu founded the University's chapter more than 20 years ago.
"Plant trips to automobile suppliers and the Jiffy facility have been popular activities. It (APICS) is a great alternate way for students to learn," said Wu, who pointed out that the chapter also was active in APICS national activities.
"I joined the chapter because I wanted to become more involved with (the topics of) production operations and management. Also, I can network with professionals," said Heather Woods, an EMU chapter member and senior from Ypsilanti.
Woods was one of three students who competed earlier this year in an APICS competition in Chicago. Ten teams were presented with a hypothetical business case to analyze overnight and suggest solutions the following day.
"The company was basically falling apart. It needed help with inventory control, warehouse organization and employee scheduling," said Woods, whose team finished third and received a plaque and monetary award.
Both Wu and Woods attended the San Diego conference. Woods is an EMU accounting major who will earn a bachelor's and a master's degree in business administration within five years through a special program in the College of Business.
