UB School of Management Honors Executives

By Jacqueline Molik Ghosen

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- James R. Kaskie, president and CEO of Kaleida Health and Great Lakes Health System of Western New York, was named the 2011 Buffalo-Niagara Executive of the Year by the University at Buffalo School of Management.

The award was presented at the 62nd Annual School of Management Alumni Association Awards Banquet on Nov 3.

Established in 1949, the Buffalo Niagara Executive of the Year award is presented annually to an individual who resides in or has a major impact on the region, and whose career has been distinguished by executive success and civic leadership.

In addition, alumni awards were presented to C. Angela Bontempo, retired president and CEO of Saint Vincent Health System, for industry leadership in health care; David A. Cervi, vice president of Personal Touch Food Service Inc., for service to the school; Leonard S. Gaby, CEO of Gaby Consulting, for entrepreneurship; Toshio Matsutani, chair and CEO of Beniya Co. Ltd., for industry leadership in fashion; and Robert M. Zak, president and CEO of Merchants Insurance Group, for service to the Western New York community. 

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 the Financial Times, Forbes, U.S. News & World Report 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 that is 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.