By Alexandra Richter

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Janne Sirén, the Peggy Pierce Elfvin Director of the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, will be honored as the 2026 Buffalo Niagara Executive of the Year by the University at Buffalo School of Management.

Sirén will accept the honor at a milestone celebration, as the School of Management Alumni Association Annual Awards Ceremony marks 75 years of recognizing leadership, achievement and impact. The event will take place on Oct. 20 at the Center for the Arts on UB’s North Campus, with check-in beginning at 5:30 p.m., the awards ceremony promptly at 5:45 p.m., and a reception to immediately follow.

In addition, the School of Management will celebrate the following five alumni for their considerable impact on the school, the community and their industry:

• Chris Alfiero, MBA ’01, CEO, Foundation 214, for his service and commitment to the Western New York community
• Lisa A. Coppola, CEL ’20, managing partner and founder, The Coppola Firm, for her contributions to entrepreneurship
• Andrew G. Peer, BS ’06, vice president, corporate controller and chief accounting officer, ACV, for his exceptional service to the school
• Nagendra Raina, MBA ’05, president and CEO, Buffalo Games, Ceaco and EastPoint Sports, for his leadership in the board game and puzzle industry
• Lexi Weber, BS ’17, MS ’18, senior manager, emerging professionals initiatives, Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA and CIMA), for her career success as an emerging leader

The 2026 Buffalo Niagara Executive of the Year

The Buffalo Niagara Executive of the Year award is presented annually to an individual or individuals who reside in or have a major impact on the region, and whose career has been distinguished by executive success and civic leadership.

Sirén was selected by a vote of past honorees and the alumni association’s board of directors.

Under his leadership, the Buffalo AKG Art Museum embarked upon the most significant campus expansion and development project in its 164-year history, culminating in the June 2023 opening of the Buffalo AKG, designed by Shohei Shigematsu and architecture firm OMA. To support this project, Sirén oversaw the largest cultural fundraising campaign in the history of Western New York, successfully raising nearly $230 million.

Sirén has devoted himself to the Western New York community and is a passionate advocate for the active role of the museum and the arts in shaping and supporting diverse communities. In 2013, he launched the museum’s pioneering Public Art Initiative. Since then, the initiative has generated more than 60 public artworks across Western New York and has been recognized as a national model for museums and their communities to sustainably create and install public art.

He is the President of Eschaton — Anselm Kiefer Foundation and serves on the board of the Princess Estelle Cultural Foundation. He has published widely on modern and contemporary art, including the book The Impressionist Revolution and the Advent of Abstract Art.

Sirén holds a Doctor of Philosophy and a Master of Arts in history of art and archaeology from New York University’s Institute of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Arts from the College of the Holy Cross.

For more information on the awards ceremony, contact the School of Management’s Office of Alumni and External Engagement at mgt-alumnievents@buffalo.edu or 716-645-3224. To register for the event by Oct. 6, visit bit.ly/ubmgt-awards.