News and Events

Twenty-four Alexandria Technical and Community College (ATCC) students competed in the 2025 State DECA competition on February 20-21, 2025 in Alexandria, MN. Each student participated in 2 events. Forty-four times ATCC students were top 8 finalists in their events. Of those, six individuals and two teams earned first place awards, four individuals and four teams earned second place, and three individuals earned third place. 

Special honors:

• Mackenzie Andreasen, Eli Biggers, and Michael Cochran were awarded Outstanding Student Service Awards.
• Mackenzie Andreasen was elected State Vice President for Minnesota Collegiate DECA.
• Karen Meuwissen was awarded Minnesota Collegiate DECA Advisor of the Year. 

Abbreviations used in the lists below note students’ primary majors. Some students may have multiple majors.

• ACCT = Accounting 
• TPAC = Accounting Transfer Pathway 
• BUSM = Business Management 
• TPBU = Business Transfer Pathway 
• MKSM = Marketing & Sales Management 

Corporate Finance 

• 1st Place – Eli Biggers (ACCT and BUSM) 
• 2nd Place – Ryan Manders (ACCT and BUSM) 
• Finalist – Victoria Kerfeld (ACCT and BUSM) 

Entertainment Marketing 

• 1st Place – Michael Cochran (BUSM and MKSM) and Cody Sutherland (BUSM) 
• 2nd Place – Abigail Paumen (ACCT and BUSM) and Kourtney Harms (BUSM and MKSM) 

Entrepreneurship – Starting a Business 

• 2nd Place – Abigail Paumen (ACCT and BUSM) and Kourtney Harms (BUSM and MKSM) 
• Finalist – Kennedy Daniels (BUSM and MKSM) 

Entrepreneurship Operations 

• Finalist – Ethan Steimann (TPAC) 

Event Planning 

• 2nd Place – Grace Radniecki (BUSM) and Alexis Usher (MKSM)  

Fashion Merchandising 

• Finalist – Autumn VonFelden (Undeclared) 

Financial Accounting 

• Finalists – Victoria Kerfeld (ACCT and BUSM), Ryan Manders (BUSM and ACCT), and Asher Roell (ACCT) 

Financial Statement Analysis 

• 1st Place – Jon Hubred (ACCT) and Asher Roell (ACCT) 

Hotel and Lodging 

• 1st Place – Sam Ripley (BUSM) 
• Finalist – Annabella Delagarza (BUSM) 
• Human Resource Management 
• 1st Place – Sam Ripley (BUSM) 
• 3rd Place – Cole Bruss (TPBU) 

Marketing Management 

• 2nd Place – Cody Sutherland (BUSM) 
• Finalists – Michael Cochran (BUSM and MKSM), Myles Frueh (BUSM and MKSM), and Sharayah Slavik (MKSM) 

Professional Sales 

• Finalists – Marco Novelo Morales (TPBU) and Alexis Usher (MKSM) 

Restaurant and Food Service 

• 1st Place – Sharayah Slavik (MKSM) 
• 2nd Place – Kennedy Daniels (BUSM and MKSM) 
• 3rd Place – Ethan Steiman (TPAC) 
• Finalists – Cole Bruss (TPBU) and Lorenzo Somerset (BUSM) 

Retail Management 

• 1st place – Myles Frueh (BUSM and MKSM) 
• Finalists – Eli Biggers (ACCT and BUSM), Caleb Fraser (BUSM), and Autumn VonFelden (Undeclared) 

Sales Management and Leadership 

• 1st Place – Grant Wiser (MKSM) 
• 2nd Place – Marco Novelo Morales (TPBU) 
• Finalist – Mackenzie Andreasen (BUSM and MKSM) 

Sports Marketing 

• 2nd Place – Caleb Fraser (BUSM) and Grant Wiser (MKSM) 

Travel and Tourism 

• 1st Place – Annabella Delagarza (BUSM) 

Competitive events supported by DECA propel winners from local to state levels and finally to the international level. The success, confidence, recognition and awards that students earn in this program are crucial to their success in business careers. 

DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.