The Magazine for Alumni and Friends of the UB School of Management

Class Notes

New job? Promotion? Your classmates and colleagues want to know. Send your updates for Class Notes to mgt-editor@buffalo.edu.

Please note: Individuals are listed in Class Notes according to the year of their most recent School of Management degree.

1960s

Orrin D. Tobbe ’66, MBA ’67, is president and chief executive officer of Waterford Village Bank.

Frank J. Michels, MBA ’68, is vice president of Paramax Corp., an investment banking group based in Williamsville.

Gerard T. Mazurkiewicz ’69 was honored with the Kaleida Health Spirit Award.

1970s

Richard E. Klein ’70 was named treasurer of National Fuel Gas Distribution Corp.

Michael D. Jozwiak ’73 was named partner at Gaines Kriner Elliott.

John S. (Atticus) Alberts ’74 is retired from a career as a real estate broker. He currently sells his original photography on an eBay store, “Photos by Atticus–2008.”

John P. Kasperek ’75 was appointed director of operations at The Colad Group in Buffalo.

Lemma Senbet, PhD ’75, has been named a fellow by the Financial Management Association International for his significant contributions to the profession through scholarship and service. He is the William E. Mayer Chair in Finance at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business.

Burt Zweigenhaft ’76 is CEO and managing partner of BioPharma Partners, an investment and managing company focusing on oncology, biopharmaceuticals, disease management, genomics and oncology pharmacy services. OncoMed, the oncology pharmacy unit, has just completed its third year expanding into four northeast markets with sales of $50 million.

Lawrence J. Zielinski, MBA ’77, is president of Buffalo General Hospital and also serves as president of the Visiting Nursing Association of Western New York.

1980s

Joseph P. Lojacono ’79, MBA ’80, was appointed first vice president of the Monday Quarterback Club, a business group that backs the Buffalo Bills.

James F. Cahill ’82 was named chief executive officer of Watts Architecture and Engineering in Buffalo.

Ronald J. Tanski, MBA ’82, was named president of National Fuel Gas Supply Corp.

Michael R. Bonetto ’83 was promoted to Western New York regional vice president of First Niagara Risk Management.

Richard L. Michel ’77, MBA ’83, was appointed vice chair and head of corporate banking at National City Corp.

Debra J. Whais, MBA ’83, was appointed chief financial officer of the Girl Scouts of Western New York.

John R. Rodgers, MBA ’84, was named executive vice president, chief marketing officer, at Independent Health.

Michael J. Murray ’75, MBA ’85, was named managing partner at Ernst & Young.

Joann L. Steinmetz, MBA ’85, was named senior program manager at Good Schools for All.

Mark F. Majewski ’87 qualified for the Million Dollar Roundatable, an international, independent association of top life insurance professionals.

Andrew J. Zaref ’87 was named chief financial officer at Atrinsic, an Internet media and mobile entertainment company.

Karl D. Fiebelkorn, MBA ’88, was recognized with the 2008 Excellence in Teaching Award from the UB School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, where he is associate dean for student affairs and professional relations. He was also named the 2008 Faculty Liaison of the Year by the National Community Pharmacists Association.

Paul B. Schintzius ’88 was named vice president at ADPRO Sports in Buffalo.

Roberta (Ross) Bemiller ’89 is owner of RLB Coaching & Career Consulting. She is a certified professional coach with more than 17 years of human resources management experience. Visit www.RLBCoaching.com.

Robert Kloss ’89 is president and founder of ClearPlan Financial, a new full-service wealth management firm in Hamburg.

Jie Li, MBA ’89, was named vice president of business development-China at Peabody Energy.

David E. Rook, MBA ’89, has joined the intellectual property law firm of Hoffman Warnick, and his practice will include intellectual property litigation and appeals and patent and trademark prosecution and licensing.

Joyce A. Wagner ’89 was promoted to chief financial officer at Quality Inspection Services.

1990s

Elizabeth A. Bauman, MBA ’90, was appointed senior vice president, human resources, at First Niagara Bank.

Mary F. Kiener, MBA ’90, was promoted to senior vice president of finance for the international business group at Rich Products Corp.

James B. Walleshauser, MBA ’90, was named vice president, business transformation, at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

Brian F. Aldrich, MBA ’91, was appointed Dunkirk branch manager and vice president of business development and lending at Cattaraugus County Bank.

Salvatore C. Durante, MBA ’91, was appointed chief executive officer of Complete Senior Care, long-term care program that provides a full range of services to help nursing home-eligible older adults remain living at home.

Steven Harvey ’93 received Business First’s “40 Under Forty” award, which recognizes outstanding business and community leaders in Western New York under the age of 40. He is vice president of research and program funding for EPIC – Every Person Influences Children.

Michael D. Sims, MBA ’93, was promoted to director of business process services at Rich Products Corp.

Ram Gopal, PhD ’94, was named senior editor of Information Systems Research, the top journal in the management information systems field. He is the GE Capital Endowed Professor of Business and Chair of the Department of Operations and Information Management at the University of Connecticut School of Business.

Maria L. Wrafter ’89, MBA ’94, was appointed controller at The Hamister Group.

Bill Finn, EMBA ’95, was named chair of the board of the Hospice and Palliative Care Association of New York and was elected vice chair of the board of directors for the National Hospice Work Group. He is president and chief executive officer of the Center for Hospice and Palliative Care in Buffalo.

James P. Lederer ’82, MBA ’96, was promoted to executive vice president of business and finance at Qualcomm CDMA Technologies.

Laura M. Morris, MBA ’96, was appointed director of marketing services at Synacor.

Gerald E. Murak, CEL ’91, EMBA ’96, was a finalist for the Buffalo Niagara Business Ethics Awards. He is principal of Murak & Associates, a management consulting firm.

Mark A. Maier ’98 was named vice president of Good Samaritan CareGivers.

Joseph Wales ’99 received Business First’s “40 Under Forty” award, which recognizes outstanding business and community leaders in Western New York under the age of 40. He is vice president of W.G. Arthur Co., a family-owned hardware store in Orchard Park.

Jeffrey C. Welch, MBA ’99, is global product manager for compressors at Delphi.

2000s

Courtney Davis ’00 is manager in the regulatory and capital markets practice at Deloitte.

Laurie A. Mahoney ’00 was appointed vice president of development of the Girl Scouts of Western New York.

Andrew McGraw ’00 is marketing manager for Main Mobility, a Clarence, N.Y., firm that specializes in adaptive equipment and vehicles for people with disabilities or physical challenges.

Herαclito Ribas, MBA ’00, is logistics regional director for Makros South America, the wholesale branch of SHV Group.

Joost M. Vles, EMBA ’00, was named to the board of directors for the Buffalo chapter of the Association for Operations Management.

Samantha Clark ’01 qualified for the Million Dollar Roundtable, an international, independent association of top life insurance professionals.

Bradley Dossinger, MBA ’01, received Business First’s “40 Under Forty” award, which recognizes outstanding business and community leaders in Western New York under the age of 40. He is vice president and regional community reinvestment officer at M&T Bank.

Lynne Hegedus, MBA ’01, was promoted to director of career development at Hunt Real Estate.

Mark Notarius, MBA ’01, received Business First’s “40 Under Forty” award, which recognizes outstanding business and community leaders in Western New York under the age of 40. He is owner and president of Premium Wine & Spirits.

Mikhail Chapnik ’03, MBA ’03, is senior associate brand manager on Nabisco crackers for Kraft Foods.

Shane P. Marmion ’03 was named director of marketing and product development at William S. Hein and Co.

Patrick J.S. Mathews ’03 was promoted to manager at Tronconi Segarra & Associates LLP.

Thomas Chiam, EMBA ’04 (Singapore), owns Friends Restaurant & Catering Group and has begun a franchise, The Chicken Rice Company, based on Singapore’s signature dish.

Kristin M. Crosby ’04 was promoted to senior accountant at Brock, Schechter and Polakoff.

Albert A. Gerhart, MBA ’04, was named director of production at William S. Hein and Co.

Michael F. Madigan, EMBA ’04, was promoted to senior vice president and consumer market executive for the greater Syracuse-Utica market of Bank of America.

Connie R. Vari, EMBA ’04, was a finalist for the 2008 Athena Award, honoring female professionals in Western New York. Vari is chief operating officer for Kaleida Health.

David J. Benesch, MBA ’05, was named manager of application development at Synacor.

Andrew J. Cappello ’03, MS ’06, was promoted to senior accountant at Lumsden & McCormick.

William E. Grieshober, EMBA ’06, was promoted to vice president and deputy general counsel at Rich Products Corp.

Andrew T. Moon ’06 was promoted to senior accountant at Tronconi Segarra & Associates.

Matthew E. Winnicki ’06 was appointed to the accounting and tax section of Schunk, Wilson & Co.

Scott P. Wooten ’06 was promoted to senior accountant at Chiampou Travis Besaw and Kershner.

Mollie M. Godzich ’07 was promoted to senior accountant at Lumsden & McCormick.

Robert J. (R.J.) Merrill ’07 is a commercial analyst for First American Bank in Chicago.

Christopher R. Alger ’08 was appointed staff accountant at Green & Seifter, Certified Public Accountants.

Jeremy T. Bilson ’08 was named staff accountant at Brock, Schechter and Polakoff.

Jeremy D. Blecha ’08 was appointed associate at Tronconi Segarra & Associates.

Justin T. Bonk ’08 was named staff consultant at Freed Maxick and Battaglia.

Andres P. Bowen ’08 was appointed associate at Tronconi Segarra & Associates.

Kevin Brandt ’08 has relocated to Arizona and is working in the management training program for Hertz.

Kaitlyn M. Dudek ’08 was appointed associate at Tronconi Segarra & Associates.

Daniel S. Farr ’08 is employed by Alliance Bernstein in New York City.

Jeffrey R. Kruszka ’08 was appointed to the accounting and tax section of Schunk, Wilson & Co.

Kristen N. Travale ’08 was appointed associate at Tronconi Segarra & Associates.

Alumni Spotlight – Jill Spisiak Jedlicka, MBA ’00

Jedlicka

Jedlicka

Jill Spisiak Jedlicka, MBA ’00, is director of ecological programs for Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper, a not-for-profit organization devoted to promoting, preserving and protecting the natural and historical environments of the Buffalo Niagara Rivers. She oversees program areas including habitat protection and restoration, green infrastructure, water quality improvements, and sediment remediation, in addition to advocacy/policy work related to public access to waterways, ecological and human health impacts, inactive hazardous waste sites, brownfield redevelopment and environmental law and policy.

Jedlicka loves everything about her job. “How many people get to wake up every morning and say, ‘I’m cleaning a river today.’?” she says. “Riverkeeper is a wonderful organization to work for as I have incredible flexibility with my three-quarter time job. As a wife and a mother of two small children, I am able to balance family with a career I love. And I don’t feel guilty about the time spent away from my family, because the results of my work will help leave Buffalo and Western New York a better place for my kids when they grow up.”