SANFORD - Central Carolina Community College's Phi Beta Lambda chapter came home loaded with winnings from competitions at Igniting Innovation!, the 2013 North Carolina PBL State Leadership Conference, held April 11-13 in Charlotte.

CCCC competed against more than 30 colleges and universities from across the state. Its PBL members won 28 awards in 24 different categories in individual and team events. The chapter received 11 awards including the Gold Seal Chapter Award, which is presented to only 15 percent of chapters in the state; Gold Star Chapter Award for meeting specific state chapter requirements, and the Terry Lowrance Leadership Award, as an outstanding local chapter.

The students won seven first places, 11 second places, one each third and fourth place, three each fifth and sixth places, and one seventh place. CCCC's Guadalupe Norato was chosen as the NCPBL Central Region vice president. Faculty co-advisor Mark Hall received the PBL Horizon Award.

"It was one of the most successful conferences for the chapter," said faculty co-advisor Mike Fann. "These students have demonstrated they can apply what they have learned in the classroom and are a reflection of the faculty, college, and the community they represent."

Phi Beta Lambda is the national organization for students in post-secondary schools and colleges who are enrolled in business, office, and business education programs. PBL is an integral part of the instructional program and promotes civic and personal responsibility.

"Phi Beta Lambda allows the students to apply their skills they have learned from their instructor and compete head-to-head with other colleges that are prestigious and highly credible," said Nico Boncales, CCCC Phi Beta Lambda member. "PBL has given me the courage to take on tasks that are unfamiliar and to enjoy the pressures of competition. It is not just about professionalism but also to encourage and instill leadership. We have been trained that it is not just about one's own self-interest but to invest in a better future."

The winning students were also honored at a PBL Awards Ceremony, held May 7 at the Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center, in Sanford.

Those who won awards and recognitions at the state competitions were: Jennifer Barefield, Richard Barnes, Nico Boncales, Stacey Bradshaw, Anthony Erb, Ja'mielle Franklin, Chynna Lancaster, Reginald Marsh, Guadalupe Norato, Vickie Nguyen, Jay Relkin, Monica Sagastome-Ceron, and Seth Tom, all of Sanford; Arturo Alverez, James Flemming, and Oscar Hernandez, all of Broadway; Cherie Clark and Christopher Wilkes, both of Carthage; Kelvin Puckett, of Goldston; Kimlee Porrazzo, of Lillington; Alexandria Clayton, of Moncure; Michael Price, of Pittsboro; Carli Williams, of Siler City; and Kaitlin Lein, of Spring Lake.

First-place teams were: Boncales, Relkin and Clark - Business Decision Making; Nguyen, Norato and Puckett - Business Presentation; Bradshaw, Lancaster and Porrazzo - Community Service (Harvest Basket); Boncales, Puckett and Tom - Digital Video Production; and Norato and Price - Strategic Analysis & Decision Making.

First-place winning individuals were: Flemming - Networking Concepts, and Porrazzo - Small Business Management Plan.

Second place winning teams were: Bradshaw, Marsh and Sagastume-Ceron - Business Ethics; Barefield, Norato and Williams - Community Service (HAVEN); Alverez, Hernandez, and Relkin - Economic Analysis & Decision Making; Alverez and Barnes - Emerging Business Issues; Clark, Erb and Lancaster - Human Resource Management; Sagastume-Ceron, Wilkes and Williams - Marketing Analysis & Decision Making.

Second-place winning individuals were: Flemming - Computer Concepts, Franklin - Impromptu Speaking, Clayton - Marketing Concepts, Barefield - Sales Presentation, and Erb - Telecommunications.

The team of Clark, Relkin and Wilkes won third place in the Free Enterprise competition. The team of Barefield, Barnes and Lancaster took fifth place, and the team of Lancaster, Nguyen and Wilkes took sixth, in Hospitality Management.

Other PBL individual winners were: Bradshaw - fourth in Management Concepts; Clayton - fifth in Business Law; Franklin - fifth in Client Services; Williams - sixth in Business Communications; Tom - sixth in Business Law; and Marsh - seventh in Impromptu Speaking.

In addition, Clayton, Franklin, Puckett and Tom were recognized for achievement in the Leadership Development Program, and Barefield, Boncales, Clark, Franklin, Hernandez, Lancaster, Guadalupe Norato and Puckett were recognized for achievement in the Career & Membership Achievement Program.

For more information about Phi Beta Lambda, contact faculty advisors Mike Fann at mfann@cccc.edu or 919-718-7468, or Drew Goodson at dgoodson@cccc.edu or 919-718-7445.