Tag Archives: FedEx Junior Business Challenge

Tommy Fleetwood, PGA Tour Star on FedEx Junior Business Challenge



Caught up with PGA Tour golfer, Tommy Fleetwood, this week at the Tour Championship at East Lake. Fleetwood was among the 30 golfers that qualified for East Lake this year. He was also serving as one of the judges for the FedEx Junior Business Challenge this week in Atlanta.

This week, Junior Achievement students from across the United States competed in the finals of the FedEx Junior Business Challenge held at the tournament’s host site, East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. The three JA student companies that participated in the finals secured their spots by winning each of their individual qualifying events, which were hosted at PGA TOUR tournaments throughout the summer. At the event, the JA student companies pitched original business ideas, with Our Story from JA of the Chisholm Trail being selected as the winner and recipient of a $75,000 donation from FedEx to their JA chapter. Our Story is a motivational journal company for teens that helps to reduce anxiety and stress.

Fleetwood was impressed by the high school students and their products.

The judging panel evaluated each company’s ability to deliver a compelling pitch, create a succinct visual presentation and connect their business concept to innovation, sustainability, job creation or the trade industry.

Through its PGA TOUR sponsorship, FedEx hosted FedEx Junior Business Challenge qualifier events at three PGA TOUR tournaments this year: the Charles Schwab Challenge (Ft. Worth, Texas), the Travelers Championship (Cromwell, Conn.) and the 3M Open (Blaine, Minn.). At each event, JA student companies presented their business ideas to a judging panel consisting of a mix of PGA TOUR players, local celebrities, FedEx Small Business Grant winners and business leaders.

In August 2013, Fleetwood won his maiden title on the European Tour at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles. He won in a three-man sudden death playoff, after a birdie on the first extra hole to see off Stephen Gallacher and Ricardo González.

In May 2015, Fleetwood scored an albatross on the par-5 4th hole at the Wentworth Club during the second round of the BMW PGA Championship.

2017 was Fleetwood’s most successful year to date. In January he won his second European Tour event, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, by one stroke over Dustin Johnson and Pablo Larrazábal after a final round 67. In March, Fleetwood was runner-up in the WGC-Mexico Championship, a shot behind Johnson. In April, he lost in a sudden-death playoff at the Shenzhen International to Bernd Wiesberger, at the first extra hole. Fleetwood had come from eight strokes behind on the final day with a stunning round of 63 to set the clubhouse lead. In the playoff, Fleetwood found the green in two, but Wiesberger from trouble fired an approach to within five feet and holed the birdie putt for the victory. In June, Fleetwood finished fourth in the U.S. Open, while in July, he won the Open de France, beating Peter Uihlein by a stroke, after a bogey-free final round 66. He moved from 99th in the World Rankings at the start of the year into the world top-20. In November 2017, Fleetwood won the European Tour season-long Race to Dubai and won $1,250,000 from the bonus pool.

Fleetwood made a successful start to 2018, winning the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship by two strokes from Ross Fisher. He had a final round of 65, with six birdies in the last nine holes.

He is the sixth golfer to shoot a 63 in U.S. Open history, tying the championship’s single round scoring record. He did this in the fourth round of the 2018 U.S. Open on 17 June at the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York. He finished one stroke behind the winner Brooks Koepka.

Tommy was a delight to talk to and best of luck to him this week in Atlanta.


Warrick Dunn, FedEx Junior Business Challenge and Warrick Dunn Charities



An honor to be joined by former NFL All-Pro running back, Warrick Dunn, this week on “Tech of Sports.”

We all know what Warrick has done on and off the football field, but I talk with the former NFL-er at the PGA Tour Championship as he was a judge in the FedEx Junior Business Challenge. Think of this as a part 2 this week to the previous “TOS” with Rosa Santos.

Dunn is involved in many different business interests, so he was the perfect person to judge and give advice to these young competitors and entrepreneurs.

Dunn started Homes for the Holidays in 1997 during his rookie year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The program is a tribute to his mother, Betty Smothers, a Baton Rouge police officer, who as a single-mother of six, worked tirelessly to achieve the American dream of owning her own home.

While working a second job as a security guard, she was ambushed and killed. Ms. Betty was never able to realize her dream.

Warrick Dunn, former all-pro running back and philanthropist, began Homes for the Holidays during his rookie season in the NFL to honor his late mother, Betty Smothers.

Since 1997, thousands of children and families have benefited from programs activated by NFL great Warrick Dunn.

Warrick Dunn greet competitors


Rosa Santos, Tropical Wave and FedEx Junior Business Challenge Finalist



Junior Achievement students from across North America pitched original business concepts for the chance to generate a $75,000 donation from FedEx at the 2018 TOUR Championship.

One of the competitors, from Jacksonville, FL, was high school student, Rosa Santos. Santos and her team’s goal is to provide fresh fruit cups to the students at her high school as a replacement for unhealthy snacks. Santos and her Tropical Wave team won her regional and presented in Atlanta.

Tropical Wave provides an affordable healthier snack alternative during and after school. Wolfpack’s Tropical Wave’s goal is to encourage students to choose a better snack to nourish a healthy mind and body. 

Although they didn’t win first prize, their presentation was impressive and it was good to hear that athletes at her school are some of their best customers.

On Wednesday, September 19, the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club hosted the second-annual FedEx Junior Business Challenge finals.

At the event, Junior Achievement (JA) students from across North America presented original business ideas to a panel of judges for the chance to generate a $75,000 donation from FedEx to their local JA chapter. The panel judge will be headlined by 3x Pro Bowler and Atlanta Falcons Ring of Honor member Warrick Dunn and 3x PGA TOUR tournament winner Marc Leishman.

In conjunction with the PGA TOUR, the FedEx Junior Business Challenge is a collaboration between FedEx and JA Worldwide to help empower the next generation of entrepreneurs. This season, qualifying events have been hosted at: the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, THE PLAYERS Championship, the RBC Canadian Open and the Dell Technologies Championship. One student group from each of the four qualifying events have advanced to present at the finals.Judging Panel:
⦁ Warrick Dunn – 3x Pro Bowler and Atlanta Falcons Ring of Honor member
⦁ Marc Leishman – 3x PGA TOUR tournament winner
⦁ David Cunningham – President and chief executive officer of FedEx Express
⦁ Ryan Lane – Owner of Dream Beard and FedEx Small Business Grant Recipient
Participating JA Chapters:
⦁ JA of Central Texas (WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play winner)
⦁ JA of North Florida (THE PLAYERS Championship winner)
⦁ JA of Central Ontario (RBC Canadian Open winner)
⦁ JA of Northern New England (Dell Technologies Championship winner)

Since 1996, FedEx has donated more than $14 million to JA Worldwide in support of the small businesses and entrepreneurs of tomorrow.
Launched in 2017, the FedEx Junior Business Challenge is currently in its second season. It is part of the FedEx Cares global giving initiative, in which FedEx is investing $200 million in over 200 global communities around the world by 2020.

FedEx
Rosa Santos and her booth