Smith School Hosts 23rd Joseph M. Wikler Finance Case Competition

The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business hosted its 23rd Joseph M. Wikler Finance Case Competition on April 17, 2026, bringing together seven teams of undergraduate finance majors to tackle a complex real‑world financial challenge.

Twenty‑seven students participated in this year’s event, continuing a long‑standing Smith tradition that blends rigorous academic preparation with the demands of professional financial analysis.

Established in 2004 and funded through a foundation created by prominent investment professional Joseph M. Wikler—now managed by his widow, Madeline Wikler—the competition is regarded as one of the school’s most prestigious undergraduate finance experiences. Designed to test students’ ability to apply classroom concepts such as valuation, net present value, and weighted average cost of capital, the competition places students in simulated financial management roles where they must analyze a finance case and defend their recommendations before a panel of industry experts.

Students were given one week to prepare their solutions to this year’s case, “A Financial Planning Opportunity – and Dilemma,” authored by Smith Clinical Professor Emerita Susan White. The case, originally written for a wealth management competition in Texas, challenged teams to navigate a multifaceted financial scenario requiring both technical analysis and strategic judgment.

White, who organized the competition, praised the caliber of the student work. “The student presentations were excellent,” she said. “Maryland students had superior presentations and clearly put a great deal of effort into their work.”

The 2026 competition awarded monetary prizes, with each member of the first‑place team receiving $1,500. Second‑place team members earned $700 each, and third‑place team members received $500 each. Madeline Wikler joined the event via Zoom to present the awards.

Winning teams included:

• First Place: Srivishnu Somavarapu, Dylan Edwards, Jordan Koller and Mayank Barnwal
• Second Place: Saketh Kannoju, Daniel Martin and Rasheevan Nair
• Third Place: Kade Barry, Andreas Stich and Navtej Mann

A distinguished panel of judges evaluated the teams’ analyses and presentations. Judges included Cristopher (Cris) Parcelles ’92, director of financial systems at Echostar Corporation and a member of the Smith Dean’s Advisory Board; real estate investor Jay Gouline, who has served as a judge for two decades; and wealth advisor and entrepreneur Andrew Ma, a former student of White’s at the University of Texas in the 1990s. Smith Assistant Clinical Professor of Finance Terrence O’Brien also served on the panel.

For Smith undergraduates, “the Wikler Competition remains a defining opportunity to demonstrate analytical skill, teamwork and professional readiness,” White says. “By confronting real‑world financial dilemmas under time pressure and presenting to seasoned practitioners, students gain experience that bridges academic theory and the expectations of today’s finance industry.”