May 30, 2025–Taten Piepergerdes, a 2025 graduate of the Craig School of Business at Missouri Western State University, was awarded a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory franchise in the latest competition sponsored by Missouri Western’s Center for Franchise Development.
“There’s a lot of work to do, and I’m ready to get started,” Piepergedes said. “I did a lot of research into (the opportunity) throughout the class, and it just kept on getting better and better. So to actually be presented the opportunity, I’m just awestruck.”
Piepergerdes, from St. Joseph, was a student in a senior-level Applied Business Ownership class this spring. Students in the class prepared business plans, and those who wanted to compete presented their plans to a panel of judges that included Steven L. Craig, creator of the franchise competition, other business leaders and Missouri Western graduates who won franchises in previous years.
Piepergedes graduated earlier this month with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. He completed an internship at New York LIfe, and has also been employed as a mobile sales expert at T-Mobile. At Missouri Western, he was vice president of fundraising for the FBLA, and won several events at the 2023 FBLA State Leadership Conference. He also served as an assistant soccer coach for United Soccer Club in the St. Joseph Youth Soccer Association.
“I told Taten today was a big day, but now the real work begins,” said Pam Klaus, director of the Center for Franchise Development. “What’s really nice is that we have a built-in support network of our recent alumni franchisees to help him get to that next level.”
The franchise awarded to Piepergedes is the 36th store to be awarded through the program founded in 2009. Many of the alumni have expanded on their initial business: they currently own a total of more than 50 stores in 11 states with annual sales of more than $34 million and annual payroll of more than $10 million.
The Center for Franchise Development provides initial capital for the stores, which the alumni pay back over five years. The entrepreneurs also receive ongoing support from faculty members, the Craig School of Business Advisory Council, Craig and each other. Additionally, the owners are expected to donate a portion of their store’s proceeds back to the University. So far, the donations have totaled more than $380,000.
Missouri Western State University is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit missouriwestern.edu.