Paul & Tom Kinnear Business Plan Competition

The Kinnear Business Plan Competition is open to all undergraduate students in the QSB who either have an ongoing venture or are in the process of establishing a venture. The top team will be awarded $5000 to be used towards the establishment or ongoing operations of the business. Teams, who have members who are not Commerce students are eligible provided that the QSB Commerce student is an integral part of the founding team. In addition, existing proposals are valid and qualify for consideration provided the plan has not previously won the Paul and Tom Kinnear Business Plan competition.

About the sponsors of the competition:

The Paul and Tom Kinnear Business Plan was established in the School of Business by Dr. Tom Kinnear, B.Com. ‘66, LLD ’02. Dr. Kinnear is the founder of the Wolverine Fund and Director of the Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at the University of Michigan. Dr. Kinnear has extensive experience with small business start-ups and corporations and is a widely known consultant who serves on several corporate boards.

Paul Kinnear became a C.A. in 1966 after graduating from Queen’s Commerce in 1963. He worked as a C.A. until 1972 when he moved into the steel industry. In 1988 Mr. Kinnear left the steel business and became a partner in a Toronto-based wood working business that manufactured store fixtures. They sold their products all over the United States to clients such as Ann Taylor, Brooks Brothers, and Talbots. In 1998 the company was bought out by a U.S. company out of New York. Mr. Kinnear is now retired and lives in Kingston.

2012 Deadlines:

• Monday March 19, 2012 (9:00AM) - Submission of business plans (click here to submit your plans)
• Monday March 26, 2012 - Applicants informed if they are a finalist no later than this date
• Thursday March 29 or Friday March 30, 2012 - Finalists present behind closed doors to a panel of alum and faculty judges

In all years, the deadline for submission of business plans is the second last Monday in March. Finalists are informed no later than the last Monday of March and finalists present the Thursday or Friday of that same week.

For more information on the competition, including the formatting requirements for submitted business plans, please click here.

If you are having trouble submitting your plan or have any additional questions about the competition please send an email to KinnearBusPlan@business.queensu.ca.