Stephanie Vega (Business), along with Claudia Andracki, '17 MBA, won the grand prize in the 2017 Dominic Anthony Marrocco Southern Nevada Business Plan Competition for their Aftaz Growing Systems . The competition, which offers $50,000 in cash and prizes, wrapped up June 9 after more than a month of competition that included executive summaries, business plans, and elevator pitches.

Aftaz Growing Systems designs and builds aquaponic growing systems that allow individuals and organizations to grow a variety of vegetables in a sustainable way. Aftaz has designed a single-bed system called The UniStar that is perfect for home and educational use. Aftaz also has the ability to design custom systems that will fit any space. Such systems currently are in use at Andracki's Desert Bloom Eco Farm.

This marked the eighth year of the competition, which attracts aspiring entrepreneurs who have a passion, drive, and determination for a new business idea or one in the early stage of development. The competition is open to residents of Nevada’s Clark, Nye, and Lincoln counties and the plan must indicate the business will be incorporated in those regions.