BUFFALO, N.Y. -- A team of four MBA students in the University at Buffalo School of Management will share a $2,000 prize as winners of the 16th annual UB MBA Case Competition.

Anthony LaRosa of Rochester, Christopher Maugans of Tonawanda, A.J. Nicodemi of Penfield, Rafael Pignataro of Williamsville and Young Yang of Tallahassee, Fla., made up the winning team, which was chosen from among four teams of finalists who presented the results of their case analyses on Feb. 17 at the School of Management. Prizes also were awarded to the second- and third-place teams.

Sponsored by Columbus McKinnon Corp., Ernst & Young LLP and Moog Inc., the competition enables second-year MBAs to hone their analytic and problem-solving skills in a team setting as they develop real-world business solutions and present their recommendations to corporate experts.

The case focused on implementing company-wide cultural and business transitions at a worldwide manufacturer of steam boilers and generators. Judges evaluated participants on the quality of their analyses and use of case data, the creativity and clarity of their recommendations, the quality and detail of their implementation plans, the quality and style of their oral presentations, and the quality of their question and answer responses.

Judges for the final round of the competition were Karen Howard, vice president-strategic initiatives at Columbus McKinnon; Joe Bell, vice president-acquisition integration at Moog Inc; Michael Murray, partner, Ernst & Young LLP; and Arjang Assad, dean, UB School of Management.

The UB School of Management is recognized for its emphasis on real-world learning, community and economic impact, and the global perspective of its faculty, students and alumni. The school has been ranked by Bloomberg Businessweek, the Financial Times, Forbes, U.S. News & World Report and The Wall Street Journal for the quality of its programs and the return on investment it provides its graduates. For more information about the UB School of Management, visit http://mgt.buffalo.edu.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system and its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB's more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.