BIG

The Bloomsburg Investors Group or BIG started in 2004 with $50,000 and have been increasing that number since 2004.  "The main goal" the president of the BIG program, Carl Keegan began to say, "of BIG is to increase our assets with long term investments as well as teach our members how to create a detailed analyses." The Bloomsburg Investors Group has done this over the many years it has operated, meeting every Monday and Wednesday in room 123 Sutliff Hall (Figure one) to discuss what stocks to buy or sell. This is done by breaking into ten different groups, each focusing on different sectors of the economy.

Figure one

The ten groups that the investors group break down focus on different types of companies.  Each individual sector (Consumer Discretion, Consumer Staples, Energy, Financials, Healthcare, Industrial, Materials, Telecoms, Utilities, Technology) group meets up in Sutliff Hall and creates a presentation to show the whole group in Sutliff Hall. Sutliff 123 is a small room that can seat about 30 and has a constant showing of stock prices crawling across the ticker (Figure two). There is a TV which is always playing silent news, ether CNN or FOX.  Each seat in the room has a computer on top of a wooden table and a soft swivel chair. There is also a large projector centered in front of the room.  When in a sector, a detailed analysis of the stock and company is created.  The sectors do this by creating SWOT analysis as well as looking though the companies investment, sales, income, as well as leadership. Then each sector presents the company evaluation to the whole of the BIG group.

Figure two

Each Monday and Wednesday at 4:30 the investors group meets to talk about recent events as well as stocks that each group will present, to ether sell the stock or buy the stock. The group then meets in Sutliff  Hall in one of the computer labs. The room fits about thirty to forty. There is always a small chatter through out the room during presentations with the attention still on the presentations. Once one of the ten presentations are finished, there is a discuss and ask many questions to why we should or shouldn't buy, as well as what the group think of the stock. Then vote decides what the group does next.

Sometimes there is some teasing that goes on during the meetings, when someone pushes for a certain stock that then drops in value after purchase.  This conversation was between Carl the president of BIG and the head of the utility sector, Connor, who has a full brown beard and wears bulky clothing and a hat which covers most of him up.

"What did we buy that stock at" Carl said knowing the answer.

"Ten forty and its down to eightish now" Connor slightly annoyed.

"Yes, but there going to be a rebound yes" Carl asked.

"Yes it should be on the rise" Connor replied.

"And we are hoping for it to do so" Carl replied with a small smirk. 

When interviewing Carl Keegan after the meeting on Wednesday, he gave me a strong hand shake before we started.  We sat down at a small wooden table across from each other.  Carl has short brown hair and has a strong voice when he speaks. Carl has been very happy with how well the BIG program has been operating over these years.  He is also excited to continue to increase BIG's assets for long term gains instead of short term trades, as the system BIG uses would be to slow for short term stock trades.  Another important goal the BIG program does is to ensure that when he himself leaves BIG as well as this fellow seniors, that there are capable people in place to lead.  Carl was put into the position of president of BIG two years ago due to his successful leadership in his section and capability to lead.  This continues naturally with members proving themselves as the year goes on, as well as the fact that higher positions like vice president and treasurer, will help develop a leader to take over the task.

"The BIG program is a great learning experience for business majors and anyone who is interested in the stock market" Carl said at the end of the interview. He gave me another strong hand shake and went off to continue his work for the BIG program.