Three Cal Poly business students received the highest award given through a national simulation competition that required them to design, manufacture, distribute and sell their products.

Students Jordan Carson, Katie Talbert and Victoria Valentine earned a tie for first place in the Glo-Bus International Business Competition that included 1,276 teams from 72 colleges and universities.

No other Cal Poly student has ever received a first-place finish in the 10 years the university has been competing in the event.

The students ran a simulated multinational digital camera company competing in a global market. They earned their top-placed finish based on a point system designed by the event hosts.

“My co-managers and I made biweekly decisions related to research and development, components, product line breadth, production operations, labor compensation, outsourcing, pricing, sales, marketing, finance, corporate citizenship, and social responsibility,” Talbert said.

The competition ran April 30 through May 6.

The students entered as part of the Advanced Seminar in International Management course taught by J. Michael Geringer, a Cal Poly professor of international strategy.