Bell Tower Capital Management Shines on the Global Stage
NC State's student team placed high in prestigious stock pitch competitions, competing against the best from Ivy League schools.
Bell Tower Capital Management, the student-run endowment fund at NC State University, recently made waves at prestigious financial competitions.
The team — comprised of students Ben Tewey ‘25, Kyle Isler ‘24 and Colton Landy ‘23 — showcased their skills at the Alta Fox Stock Pitch Competition on Harvard’s campus as one of 11 finalists out of a competitive pool of 83. Hailing from diverse backgrounds, the Bell Tower team competed against institutions such as Wharton, NYU, Yale and other Ivy League powerhouses.
The November competition saw each team presenting a compelling ten-minute pitch on their chosen company, followed by a rigorous five-minute questioning session. Bell Tower students strategically pitched $FEVR.L, a beverage company specializing in tonic water, ginger beer, club soda and other mixers. Their well-prepared presentation not only stood out for its content but also for being the only one to finish within the allotted time.
The Poole College students also deftly navigated a lightning round of questioning by expert judges from prestigious hedge funds, including Citadel Securities, Baupost Group, Davidson Kempner Capital Management, and Coatue Investment Management.
The day concluded with the judges deliberating and announcing Bell Tower as the third-place winner, securing a total prize of $500. This achievement also marked a historic moment, as Tewey became the first Bell Tower member to secure a role at a hedge fund, Alta Fox, following an interview during the event.
“To place in the top three against such stiff competition really shows how outstanding Poole College of Management students are and how they embody our ‘Think and Do’ motto,” said Richard Warr, associate dean for faculty and research. Warr oversees Bell Tower Management.
Fueled by their success, Bell Tower continued to make a mark by entering Dartmouth’s 2024 Stock Pitch Competition. Out of 150 teams worldwide, they emerged as one of the 16 semifinalists, competing against the best from Ivy League schools.
Judges from firms such as Citadel, Bridgewater, Apollo, Advent International, Bain Capital and Warburg Pincus participated, turning the competition into an opportunity for networking and internships.
This remarkable journey underscores Bell Tower’s unique position as a completely student-run and managed organization.
“We manage not only a portion of the university’s endowment independently, but also make strategic stock picks, win competitions and mold their members for successful careers in high finance,” Isler said. “This has been proven by our alumni base and statistics regarding their career outcomes, as well as our demonstrated ability to compete and win against Ivy League universities.”
