Two of the three winning entries of a Chico, Calif., business plan competition were designed with nurses in mind.
On Nov. 6, Crystal Martin received the $10,500 grand prize for a proposed nursing academy, while one of two $2,250 runner-up prizes went to retired nurse Steve Culton of Desert Air Industries. Culton has patented the Nurse Alert Connector, a tiny device that whistles when oxygen tubing detaches from the air source.
Martin and Culton competed in Venture Island ? Chico, a four-month competition coordinated by Golden Capital Network that involved giving presentations and answering questions before a panel of judges. During the June 5 semi-final round, an audience and five judges voted to eliminate five contestants before the final three were left standing. The final round took place June 26 at the Chico Economic Planning Corporation's annual dinner.
Martin founded the California Academy of Nurses to help solve the nursing shortage. The academy, an extension of Cambridge Career College in Yuba City, hopes to open its first three campuses in Chico, Woodland, and Yuba City next year. Officials plan to mix online and in-class instruction and enroll 120 students at each campus.
Culton tied for second place with Robert Strazzarino, whose College Scheduler software helps students register for classes.
