$3,500 awarded to top startups at Red Raider Idea Competition
Three teams of aspiring entrepreneurs are closer to bringing their startup dreams to life, thanks to awards from the Texas Tech University Innovation Hub at Research Park’s Red Raider Idea Competition.
The annual competition, hosted in partnership with the Lubbock Economic Development Alliance, gives students, faculty and community entrepreneurs the chance to pitch their next big idea in a 60-second video. Winners were determined by the number of online votes each team received from the public through the Innovation Hub’s competition website.
On the Go Auto, which does basic maintenance on your vehicle at your location, was awarded $2,000 for coming in first place.
Second-place winner VxMED, which translates dense material for a more enjoyable learning experience, earned $1,000. Third-place winner Engaged Fitness, which provides a healthier alternative to energy drinks, earned $500.
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Goodwill welcomes new director of retail
Goodwill Industries of Northwest Texas recently announced Nick Robinson has joined the company as director of retail.
His role involves overseeing the management and operations of the eight stores in the GINWT area, including Lubbock, Wolfforth, Plainview and Amarillo. Robinson comes to Lubbock after his most recent seven-year position in New Orleans as District Manager for Goodwill where he oversaw operations for six stores.
Robinson’s extensive background and education, along with his passion for working with Goodwill and focus on customer service through employee and management training, made him the right fit for Goodwill Industries of Northwest Texas.
“Goodwill created a new position, director of retail, to enhance overall store performance, management and employee training and to provide the best customer service possible,” said Robin Raney, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Northwest Texas. “We were seeking a candidate who had a deep understanding of how the success of our stores directly relates to supporting our mission to create job opportunities for people with barriers to employment. We also wanted to bring someone on board who was dedicated to training employees to increase job satisfaction and provide superior customer service. Nick embodies all of these qualities and more. We are delighted to have him working with our team.”
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Jansa promoted at AimBank
Evan Jansa was recently promoted to assistant vice president, commercial lender at AimBank.
“Evan has been an important part of our AimBank family already, and he has continued to show initiative in his career. We are excited about the opportunities ahead as he advances his career in our bank as a commercial lender,” remarked Jonathan Hill, Lubbock Market President of AimBank.
Jansa came to AimBank as part of the Platinum Bank merger and has been with the bank since 2008. He worked as a teller through college and, upon graduation, was promoted to credit analyst. Evan has a bachelor of arts degree from Texas Tech.
“I am excited to be a continued part of AimBank’s success, and look forward to many more years of working with such a great organization,” Jansa said.
