LEAWOOD, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Landon Butler, Paul Kaster and Garrison Panzer are the 2018 recipients of the annual Tortoise Young Entrepreneurs Scholarship Awards. The scholarships are designed to encourage an entrepreneurial mindset that helps recipients conceive or support firms that create innovative products, processes and solutions.
“Our 2018 Tortoise Young Entrepreneur Scholarship recipients embody the entrepreneurial spirit and passion that has fueled our success at Tortoise,” said Tortoise’s Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Birzer. “We wish them success with their educational pursuits and look forward to learning how they will make a positive impact on society in the coming years.”
Tortoise 2018 Young Entrepreneurs Scholarship Recipients
Landon Butler
Landon Butler will be a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania. He plans to major in systems science and engineering and minor in mathematics. Through extensive research, Butler discovered that there is a gap in the market for a diagnostic that utilizes the established correlation between salivary pH trends and oral diseases. He and three other peers developed cost-effective diagnostic strips that help fight these types of disease.
Paul Kaster
Paul Kaster will be a sophomore at the University of Southern California and is majoring in computer science and business. In 2017, the Department of Commerce named Kaster the “Kansas Young Entrepreneur of the Year.” He was also a national finalist for the 2017 National Federation of Independent Businesses’ “Young Entrepreneur of the Year.”
In 2013, Kaster founded a handcrafted menswear and accessories company, Crooked Branch Studio. This company specializes in wooden and carbon fiber bow ties. Since 2013, Crooked Branch Studio has sold over 2,000 bow ties in more than 25 countries.
Garrison Panzer
Garrison Panzer will be a junior at Oklahoma State University (OSU) where he is studying agricultural business. While at OSU, he served as a council member for College of Agriculture Administration. In 2017, he was awarded the “Kansas Professional Rodeo Association Announcer of the Year,” and the “International Finals Rodeo Showcase Announcing Champion.” Panzer began announcing rodeos since the age of 15 and at 19, he partnered with his father to create G-Panzer Productions, focused on rodeo announcing. His goal is to grow his company by announcing bigger rodeos each year. In four years, he has announced nearly 75 rodeos.
About Tortoise Young Entrepreneurs Scholarship Program The Tortoise Young Entrepreneurs Scholarship Program was established in 2012 in celebration of Tortoise’s 10-year anniversary. The program recognizes the challenges and rewards of the entrepreneurial spirit and encourages the next generation of curious, persistent and passionate entrepreneurs. The Tortoise Young Entrepreneurs Scholarship Program awards three annual, non-renewable scholarships valued at $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000 All applicants must meet certain academic and college entrance exam scores.
About Tortoise
Tortoise specializes in essential assets and income. Tortoise invests in assets and services that serve essential needs in society and can also serve essential client needs, such as diversification and income. Tortoise’s energy investing expertise across the energy value chain, including infrastructure and MLPs, dates back more than 15 years. Through a variety of investment vehicles, Tortoise provides access to a wide range of client solutions, focused on their evolving needs. For more information, please visit www.tortoiseadvisors.com.