8/2/2019
FAYETTE, Iowa (August 2, 2019) – An Upper Iowa University alumnus was recently named Industry Champion by GLO-BUS Developing Winning Competitive Strategies. Matthew Riles ‘19 of New Orleans, Louisiana, earned the eight-week simulated business competition honor as part of UIU adjunct faculty member Joseph Hebert’s strategic management course.
“I thoroughly enjoyed applying my education to a real-world experience,” Riles said. “I used every bit of knowledge from my business classes at UIU. It was a good feeling to see how things we had discussed in class actually unfold. I felt empowered and confident when I made decisions based on my knowledge because I knew I had learned from good instructors.”
GLO-BUS officials presented Riles with the Industry Champion award after his company, “East Wind,” best performed in the camera and drone industry game. GLO-BUS is an international online exercise where teams of simulated companies run by students compete against each other. The company operations mirror those of actual companies and compete in a global market.
Riles experienced firsthand the value in company reports, accounting procedures and the widespread amount of information that is actually obtained from different types of financials. In addition, he witnessed the effects advertising and budgetary adjustments have on profits.
“My UIU education broadened my views about how business works,” Riles said. “I had some business knowledge but in retrospect I see now how narrow that view was. My education has allowed me to see concepts and practices in a bigger and more enlightened global view. I feel my UIU education allowed me to use the principles of business competitively and gave me an edge against the other teams.”
A City of New Orleans police detective, Riles earned an associate degree at Upper Iowa before achieving his bachelor’s degree in management at UIU. He is currently working toward a Master of Public Administration degree at the University.
