15 Year-Old San Ramon CEO Wins Praise From Bay Area CEOs; California High School Student Beats 239 Competitors to Win Title in Bay Area Business Simulation Game

Business Wire, May 31, 2001

News Editors/Education Writers

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 31, 2001

Junior Achievement of the Bay Area announced today that Tony Wang, a fifteen-year-old student at California High School in San Ramon, beat 239 other competitors in JA TITAN, a one-of-a-kind open business simulation game played live over the Internet. Wang was appointed "CEO for a Day" and received congratulations from Bay Area CEOs, as well as a personal technology makeover, including a laptop computer, IBM Workpad, and a cellular phone.

"From one CEO to a budding 'CEO' I congratulate Tony on the successful business strategy that led him to beating the competition," said John Chen, chairman, president and CEO of Sybase, Inc., a leading e-Business solutions provider based in Emeryville, Calif. "As with any successful CEO, a winning JA TITAN player must make the right decisions -- quickly and under pressure -- using solid business knowledge, dedication and a deep desire to succeed. Clearly, Tony applied these principles to win, and helped Junior Achievement win as well in its mission to share the fundamentals of the free enterprise system to every child in America."

JA TITAN challenged Bay Area students ages 14-19 to manage and operate their own virtual business in a simulated online setting. The success or failure of a virtual company depended on how well the players managed key issues such as setting prices, filling production needs, marketing, research and development and capital investment. The results give teens the tools they need to make key decisions, putting them in total control of a company, teaching them how to help their business succeed and how to become virtual captains of industry.

"My strategy was based on dedication and practice," said Tony Wang, CEO Elect, JA TITAN 2001. "I had to keep an eye on my company at all times, because you never knew what the competition was going to do. Of course, that's not what I told my parents, who thought I was keeping an eye on my homework at all times. Fortunately, I still managed to get A's."

Tony Wang will be awarded his personal technology makeover at the Junior Achievement of the Bay Area Board Retreat on June 13th at the San Francisco Marriott. Tony looks forward to finishing high school and going into a career in business.

"We are grateful to our sponsors -- FedEx, The San Francisco Business Times, and IBM for their help in allowing us to bring JA TITAN to millions of young adult Internet users." said Shawn O'Hara, President of Junior Achievement of the Bay Area. "We want teens to take advantage of what they learn with JA TITAN, and carry that knowledge wherever they go in the future."

Junior Achievement's mission is to educate and inspire young people to value free enterprise and business. Junior Achievement is the world's largest non-profit economic educational organization, established in 1919.

For more information about "Who wants to be a CEO?" go to www.jatitan.lycos.com or call Wendy Schnee at 415/876-0982.