School of Management honors recruiters, interns and supervisors

By Kevin Manne

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Frank L. Ciminelli Family Career Resource Center and the Credit-Bearing Internship Program in the University at Buffalo School of Management honored business professionals, students and companies on April 12 at a reception in the South Lake Village Community Room on UB’s North Campus.

The Career Resource Center Alumnus of the Year award was given to Matthew Wagner, senior vice president at First Niagara, as the alumnus having the greatest positive impact on MBA students and student clubs in the School of Management.

The Recruiter of the Year award went to Shawn Frier, director, Freed Maxick CPAs, for making a significant impact in recruiting School of Management students.

Citi received the Recruiting Organization of the Year award. Ken Bennett, director, accepted the award for Citi.

The Credit-Bearing Internship Program (CBIP) presented Student Intern of the Year awards to three students. The recipients and their internship placements were Tony Watson, UB Athletics; Amit Prayag, Columbus McKinnon Corp.; and Kyoungah Lee, Alliance Advisory Group.

The CBIP also presented three Intern Supervisor of the Year awards to honor supervisors for their contributions to the professional development of the UB interns who worked for them. Interns nominated supervisors for recognition. The recipients were Lisa Piecki, business development specialist, Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA); Richard Steinberg, vice president of human resources, Columbus McKinnon Corp.; and Elizabeth Perkins, marketing manager of desserts, Rich Products.

Outstanding Internship Partner was awarded to the Erie County Industrial Development Association (ECIDA) for “Exports to Canada,” a collaborative economic development program that connects School of Management interns with local businesses to help them increase their level of exports across the border. John LaFalce, ECIDA board chair and former U.S. congressman, accepted the award.

New Buffalo Shirt Factory was honored as New Internship Partner for their dedication to creating opportunities for UB students through challenging internship projects. Pam Thayer, director of human resources, accepted the award.

Nonprofit Internship Organization of the Year was awarded to The Elmwood Village Association for their ability to bring real-world projects to students interested in applying their business education to the nonprofit industry. Accepting the award was Carly Battin, executive director.

New this year, the award for UB Internship Site of the Year went to UB Athletics. This award acknowledges an on-campus department recognizing the importance of student engagement and leadership building through internships located on the UB campus. Jill Rexinger-Kuhn, director of community relations and fan experience, accepted the award.

Private, public and nonprofit organizations may recruit interns through CBIP for projects that are business-related. For more information, visit mgt.buffalo.edu/internships or call the CBIP office at 716-645-3233.

The UB School of Management is recognized for its emphasis on real-world learning, community and economic impact, and the global perspective of its faculty, students and alumni. The school also has been ranked by Bloomberg Businessweek, the Financial Times, Forbes and the Wall Street Journal for the quality of its programs and the return on investment it provides its graduates. For more information about the UB School of Management, visit mgt.buffalo.edu.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system and its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB’s more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.