46 business leaders graduate from CEL Core program

By Matthew Biddle

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Forty-six established entrepreneurs are armed with the skills to move their businesses forward after graduating from the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (CEL) Core program in the University at Buffalo School of Management.

The graduates were honored at a joint ceremony for five CEL programs on June 3 at UB’s Center for the Arts.

Arjang Assad, dean of the School of Management, delivered opening remarks and introduced the evening’s keynote speaker, David A. Cervi, president of Personal Touch Food Service, who completed the Core program in 2002.

In addition, Daniel and Jamie Bell, owners of Buffalo-based digital agency Newbird LLC, received the C. Taylor Kew Entrepreneurial Excellence Award, which recognizes graduates for entrepreneurial excellence and exemplifying the principles for which the late Kew stood. An energetic advocate for the CEL, Kew created and operated several companies and donated his time to several civic organizations before his tragic death in a seaplane crash in 1992.

The new Core graduates completed a peer-based, mentor-driven program to help grow, refocus or better manage their businesses. During the 10-month course, the entrepreneurs performed an in-depth analysis of their businesses, while developing expertise in such key areas as strategic planning, capital acquisition, employee relations and marketing.

The 2015 CEL Core graduates are:

Derek Acker, Straightline General Contractors Inc.; Michael Adolf Jr., Buffalo Alarm Inc.; Daniel and Jamie Bell, Newbird LLC; John Bielinski, CME4Life LLC; James Brawdy, Brawdy Construction Inc.; Kevin Cain, Niagara Fiberboard Inc.; Kevin Calvello, B&W Heat Treating Co. Inc.; Andrew Carducci, Sampla Belting NA LLC; Michael Cardus, Create-Learning Team Building & Leadership Inc.; Benjamin Case, The Carpet Collection.

Also, James Casey, Comet Flasher Inc.; Benjamin Casto, Applied Sciences Group Inc.; Lucas Cellino, Cellino Plumbing; Kevin Connors, eco_logic STUDIO; Philip Cortese, Cortese Construction Services; Timothy Delaney, Elma Liquor & Wine; Julie Dotton, Soteria IT; Michelle Ezzo, Clark Patterson Lee; Dorothy Foigelman-Holland, Ken-Ton Physical Therapy; Michael Galligano, Buffalo CarShare; Michael Geraci Jr., Geraci Spine & Sports Medicine.

Also, Adam Goldfarb, Jeffrey M. Goldfarb & Associates; Kelly Hair, Lighthouse Financial Asset Management LLC; Christopher Hall, Allwel; John Hogg, Straight-Forward Consulting; Kimberly Kociencki, SPLiCE; Michael Kotecki, Kotecki’s Grandview Grove; Jordan Kowalczyk, Aurora Machine; Kevin Lin, Oriental Sushi King; Jeffrey Lyons, Buffalo Roadhouse Grill; Joseph Lyons, Joe’s Deli; Keith McCoy, V-Lake Industries.

Also, Ryan Miller, T-Mark Plumbing, Heating & Cooling; Michael Miller-Mercer, 911 Next; Patricia Neal, Dance Spectrum; Timothy O’Donnell, T. O’Donnell Landscaping; David Pera, Bison Scaffold and Mason’s Supply; Steven Raines, Algonquin Studios; Edward Seger, SCI; Anthony Staub, Staub Machine Co. Inc.; Diana Stefanovich, Christie’s Restaurant; Joseph Thompson, First Reliance Holdings LLC; Deborah Turley, Lord of Life Adult & Child Services; Steven Weathers, ECIDA; Brian Weidner, The Tarantino Law Firm.

Applications are open for the next CEL Core program, beginning this fall. For more information or to apply, contact the CEL at 716-885-5715 or mgt-cel@buffalo.edu.