Class Notes
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Individuals are listed according to the year of their most recent School of Management degree.
1960s
Alan J. Laurita, BS ’68, partner in the environmental practice at Hodgson Russ LLP, was honored with the Industry Leader award at the Northeast Oil & Gas Awards.
1970s
Kenneth S. Dreifus, MBA ’71, deputy chair of Touro College’s Business and Accounting Department, co-authored a study, “Do Investors Still Gravitate to Preferred Habitats on the U.S. Treasury Yield Curve?”, in the Macrothink Institute’s Business and Economic Research journal.
Joseph Curatolo, BS ’76, president and founder of Georgetown Capital Group, was appointed to the Fidelity Investments Advisory Council.
1980s
Brian Robison, BS ’80, was promoted to chief of upstate field operations for the Bureau of Public Work in the New York State Department of Labor.
Paul G. Buchanan, MBA ’81, former Erie County Family Court judge, joined HoganWillig Attorneys at Law as special counsel.
Michael Curatolo, BS ’84, certified financial planner at Georgetown Capital Group, was named to the Fidelity Investments Advisory Council.
William J. Kullback, MBA ’84, is chief financial officer of BioLegend Inc., a San Diego-based biotechnology firm.
Meghan McDonnell, BS ’85, was named business development leader at CannonDesign, an integrated global design firm.
Walter Ludwig, MBA ’88, was promoted to president and CEO of Kenmore Mercy Hospital.
Jeffrey McCabe, BS ’88, was appointed assistant vice president at USAA, responsible for mortgage originations.
Sujata Yalamanchili, BS ’88, MBA ’89, partner at Hodgson Russ LLP, was honored with the 2018 Community Leader Legal Award by the National Federation for Just Communities of Western New York.
1990s
Brian Shine, CEL ’91, president of Manitoba Corp., was elected chair of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries.
Kim Krug, BS ’93, was recognized with the Small Business of the Year award from the Clarence Chamber of Commerce for her store, Monkey See, Monkey Do…Children’s Bookstore.
David Sheff, BS ’93, was appointed human resources manager for Lactalis American Group’s Buffalo plant.
Michael Kaye, BS ’88, MBA ’95, was promoted to vice president of finance – health care, higher education sales vertical at Xerox Corp.
Alumni Spotlight: Scott Kaplan, BS ’08
“A lot of people, when they get to know me, are surprised I went to college,” Scott Kaplan, BS ’08, deadpans from the stage of New York’s Gotham Comedy Club as the audience roars with laughter.
Kaplan earned his bachelor’s in accounting from the School of Management, but these days you’re more likely to find him performing stand-up than crunching numbers.
After graduating in 2008, he joined the Manhattan-based firm of Rosen Seymour Shapps Martin & Co. as a staff auditor, but lost his job during the recession. Kaplan decided to shift into entrepreneurship and joined his family business, Kohler Meats. Today, he owns a provisions route, delivering cold cuts to shops across the city and, last year, launched Peerless Arts, a pop-up gallery specializing in street, pop and contemporary artwork.
Though he’s long been intrigued by comedy, Kaplan discovered his love and knack for performing about two years ago when he took an improv class at Peoples Improv Theater. Since then, he’s honed his craft at UCB Theatre and the American Comedy Institute, performed in clubs around New York, and competed in the World Series of Comedy in Boston and Boise, Idaho.
Kaplan says his accounting background helps him stay organized and manage the financial processes required to juggle his ventures — and pursue his passion.
“It’s such a rush,” he says of performing on stage. “Getting those 30 to 45 seconds of nonstop laughter, for me, is the ultimate high.”
Alexandra Wehr, BS ’95, was promoted to senior vice president, senior corporate relationship manager at KeyBank.
Thomas E. Mazurek Jr., BS ’98, CPA, was promoted to partner at Tronconi Segarra & Associates, where he focuses on state and local tax, and sales and use tax.
Jennifer Beckage, BS ’99, a partner at Phillips Lytle who specializes in cybersecurity, was recognized on Cybersecurity Docket’s “Incident Response 30,” a list of the country’s top data breach response attorneys.
2000s
Robert Denning, EMBA ’00, president and CEO of Perry’s Ice Cream Co., was honored with the 2018 Community Leader Corporate Award by the National Federation for Just Communities of Western New York.
Hector P. Garrido, MBA/MArch ’00, was promoted to associate at Trautman Associates, an architecture and design firm.
Jill M. Johnson, BS/MBA ’02, CPA, was promoted to partner at Lumsden McCormick, where she works in the assurance division.
Kevin Majchrowicz, BS ’02, CPA, CVA, partner at Brock, Schechter & Polakoff LLP, was promoted to director of audit and accounting at the firm.
Brian Maze, BS ’02, CPA, was promoted to senior manager at Chiampou Travis Besaw & Kershner.
Charles Meister, BS ’02, was promoted to vice president, regional consumer credit advisor at KeyBank.
Dave Wedekindt, PMBA ’02, was named director of marketing and sales for Artpark. He also joined the board of directors for the Arts Services Initiative of Western New York.
Charles Fashana, BS ’03, was promoted to chief operating officer at 19 IDEAS, a marketing and communications agency.
Shane P. Marmion, BS ’03, was promoted to president of William S. Hein & Co., a legal publisher and periodical subscription agent.
Eric M. Hepkins, PMBA ’04, was named CEO of Cornerstone Community Federal Credit Union.
Matthew B. Morey, BS ’04, was promoted to senior partner at Lipsitz Green Scime Cambria, where he focuses his practice on business and corporate law.
Emily Miller, BS ’06, was named chief financial officer for The Arc Erie County.
Scott S. Allen Jr., MBA ’07, joined Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman LLP as a senior associate, focusing on government investigations and compliance.
Kevin J. Cavalieri, PMBA ’07, was promoted to senior vice president at M&T Bank, where he serves as manager of operational risk, corporate insurance and risk governance.
Susan Grzybowski, BS ’07, CVA, was promoted to manager of litigation and valuation services at Dansa D’Arata & Soucia CPAs LLP.
Jason Houseman, PMBA ’07, was promoted to senior vice president of commercial banking at Citizens Bank.
Mariah Kerwin, PMBA ’07, was promoted to breakthrough innovation project leader at Rich Products Corp.
Criste’ L. Staples, BS ’08, CPA, was named senior associate in the Tax Advisory Group at Dopkins & Co. LLP, a public accounting and consulting firm.
Barrett E. Price, CEL ’09, owner and president of Bear Metal Works and Denler Stainless, announced that his companies earned certifications for food-grade equipment and fabrication from the National Sanitary Foundation.
2010s
Stacey M. Chaffee, BS ’10, CIA, was appointed as supervisor in the Buffalo Enterprise Risk Management Group of Freed Maxick CPAs.
Thomas B. Hughes, BS ’10, was named an associate in the Corporate and Securities Practice Group at Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman LLP.
Hannah Borden, BS ’10, MS ’11, CPA, was promoted to manager at Brock, Schechter & Polakoff LLP.
Vanessa C. Gabriele, BS ’11, joined Bouvier Law LLP as an associate, focusing her practice on family law.
Andrew C. Onyeji, BS/MBA ’11, CPA, was appointed supervisor in the Buffalo Audit and Accounting Department at Freed Maxick CPAs.
Alexandra Scott, BS ’10, MS ’11, CPA, audit manager at Deloitte, was recognized on Buffalo Business First’s 30 Under 30 list for 2018.
Carmel Cerullo-Beiter, CEL ’12, vice president and co-owner of J. Fitzgerald Group, was honored as Business Person of the Year by the Lockport Business Association.
Jay Cranston, BS ’12, was promoted to marketing manager for clinical prosthetic materials at Ivoclar Vivadent, an international dental company.
Zachary Kneeland, BS ’12, financial advisor and portfolio manager at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, was named to the firm’s Pacesetter’s Club, a global recognition for financial advisors who demonstrate high professional standards and client service during their first five years.
Sara Laskowski, BS ’11, MS ’12, CPA, was promoted to audit manager in KPMG’s Buffalo office.
Michael Lyons, MS ’12, CPA, manager at Freed Maxick CPAs, was honored as part of Buffalo Business First’s 30 Under 30 for 2018.
Robert Petersen, BS ’11, MS ’12, CPA, was promoted to audit manager at Chiampou Travis Besaw & Kershner.
Todd Carter, MBA ’13, was promoted to regional finance leader for Texas at Allstate.
Anthony Gardner, BS ’12, MS ’13, CPA, was promoted to tax manager at Dansa D’Arata & Soucia CPAs LLP
Samantha L. Keller, BS ’12, MS ’13, CPA, was promoted to manager in the Tax Advisory Group at Dopkins & Co.
Kyle Rogers, BS ’13, corporate relations manager for HealthNow New York, was recognized as part of Buffalo Business First’s 30 Under 30 for 2018.
Sam Marrazzo, EMBA ’14, was named chief innovation officer for the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.
Jillian McCarthy, BS ’14, MS ’15, CPA, was promoted to senior accountant at Chiampou Travis Besaw & Kershner.
Kimberly Mills, MS ’15, CPA, was appointed compliance and privacy officer for Genesee County, New York.
Brigid Purcell, BS ’14, MS ’15, CPA, was promoted to senior accountant at Brock, Schechter & Polakoff LLP.
Kimberly Behzadi, MBA ’16, was named senior associate brand manager, brand builds for Planters at Kraft Heinz Co.
Brian Connolly, EMBA ’16, was promoted to vice president of innovation and business development at The Buffalo News, as well as publisher of the News’ community papers.
Ashley Foote, BS ’16, was appointed coordinator of talent deployment and forecasting at Chiampou Travis Besaw & Kershner.
Christina Webb, BS ’16, joined Walsh Duffield Cos. as an accounting and finance associate in the Administrative Services division.
Tina L. Allen, EMBA ’17, was promoted to assistant vice president of critical care and emergency services at Erie County Medical Center.
Eric Benedetti, BS ’16, MS ’17, joined Dopkins & Co.’s Tax Advisory Group as an associate.
Michael Biggane, MS ’17, joined Brock, Schechter & Polakoff LLP as a staff accountant.
Rachel Stern, JD/MBA ’17, was named assistant director of the University of Central Florida’s Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership.