The Bluffton Center for Entrepreneurs will announce first, second, and third place awards in the 2020 Ropp Triplett Business Plan Competition on Thursday, April 23. The competition will award $6,000 in business expense reimbursement, according to Paula Scott, of BCE.

The awards will be recorded as a Zoom meeting and shared on Facebook as well as on www.BlufftonEntrepreneurs.com.

This year's entries:
Allergy Friendly Home Bakery, Cortney Mumaugh
Greenhorn, Bob Bell and Jonah Agner
FGHG, Liz Gordon-Hancock
Bluffton Riley Creek Sportsware, Brad Fruchey and Jerry Tripp
OddJobs Handyman Services, Pete Macke
Party with a Princess, Amber Moore
Touch of Europe, Neli's Kitchen, Neli Metzger
Little Riley Creek Farm, Amanda Wischmeyer
Wesley Lear, digital marketer

The competition is made the following major and supporting supporters:
• Allen Economic Development Group, Major Sponsor
• Bluffton University, Major Sponsor
• Citizens National Bank, Supporting Sponsor
• First National Bank, Major Sponsor
• Reichenbach & Steiner CPAs, Major Sponsor

Bluffton University also hosted this year's classes, which were taught Kathy Keller of the SBDC at Rhodes State. Keller provided two months of written business plan instruction.

Volunteer judges reviewed written business plans and live/video presentations. They included:
• Deb Curlis, Ada Area Chamber of Commerce
• Ryan DeMarco, Edward Jones (Bluffton)
• Beth Keehn, Mercy Health (Lima)
• Melinda Bowden, PromoHits
• Chloe Goodlive and Matthew Sorosiak, Ward Law Offices