Eleven area businesses and organizations are sponsors of the 2014 Bluffton Center for Entrepreneurs Ropp Triplett Business Plan competition, according to Brendon Matthews, BCE board president. Sponsors contributions total over $6,000.

Major sponsors are:
• Reichenbach and Steiner CPAs
• Bluffton University
• Allen Economic Development Group.

Other sponsors are:
• Mustard Seed Café 
• Citizens National Bank 
• First National Bank 
• Sielschott, Walsh, Kiefer and Regula, CPAs 
• Edward Jones 
• Superior Energy Solutions 
• Bluffton Icon
• Samuel Diller Co., LPA.

This year’s business plan competition is now underway. Kathy Keller of the Small Business Administration, Rhodes State College, leads the sessions.

First prize is $5,000 cash in business start-up and a one-year BCE affiliation. Second prize is $1,000 cash in business start-up and a one-year BCE affiliation. Third prize is a one-year BCE affiliation.

“The business plan competition is one of BCE’s programs created to help local entrepreneurs put their ideas into action in the form of a business plan,” said Matthews.

Competition goals:
· Spur local entrepreneurs to put their ideas into action
· Teach participants to write a business plan that will help start a new business or improve an existing one
· Give financial support to three new businesses
· Create new jobs in northwest Ohio

The competition is named after Ropp Triplett, whose entrepreneurial spirit helped launch Bluffton Center for Entrepreneurs.

For more information about BCE visit its website at www.blufftonentrepreneurs.com.