2024's complete Power 250: WNY's most powerful people, No. 1 to No. 250

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Welcome to 2024's Power 250.
Photo by Joed Viera; illustration by Alexandra Mason
Donna Collins
By Donna Collins – Editor-in-chief, Buffalo Business First

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Earlier this year we counted down through our 12th annual list of Western New York's most powerful people. Missed the countdown? Here they are, all in one place.

Earlier this year we counted down through our 12th annual list of Western New York's most powerful people. Missed the countdown? Here they are, all in one place.


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Power 250 2024: Day 1

  • No. 1: John Persons, CEO, Northeast Grocery Inc.
  • No. 2: René Jones, chairman of the board and CEO, M&T Bank Corp.
  • No. 3: Terry Pegula, Owner and president, Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres
  • No. 4: Satish Tripathi, president, University at Buffalo
  • No. 5: Don Boyd, president and CEO, Kaleida Health
  • No. 6: Joyce Markiewicz, president and CEO, Catholic Health
  • No. 7: Scott Bieler, president and CEO, West Herr Automotive Group
  • No. 8: William Maggio, managing director, Lorraine Capital
  • No. 9: Candace Johnson, president and CEO, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
  • No. 10: Mary Wilson, life trustee, Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation
  • No. 11: Jerry Jacobs Jr., CEO, Delaware North
  • No. 12: Michael Edbauer, president, Highmark Western and Northeastern New York
  • No. 13: Adnan Siddiqui, CEO and chief medical officer, Jacobs Institute
  • No. 14: Randy Benderson, managing director, Benderson Development LLC
  • No. 15: Pat Roche, CEO, Moog Inc.
  • No. 16: Douglas Jemal, president, Douglas Development Corp.
  • No. 17: Thomas Quatroche Jr., president and CEO, Erie County Medical Center Corp.
  • No. 18: Richard Ferranti, CEO, Rich Products Corp.
  • No. 19: Janne Sirén, Peggy Pierce Elfvin director, Buffalo AKG Art Museum
  • No. 20: David Bauer, president and CEO, National Fuel Gas Co.
  • No. 21: Kimberley Minkel, executive director, Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority
  • No. 22: Ron Ferri, president, Tops Markets
  • No. 23: Patty Kaminski, vice president and Buffalo division manager, Wegmans Food Markets
  • No. 24: Michael Cropp, CEO, Independent Health
  • No. 25: Kevin Nephew, president and CEO, Seneca Gaming Corp.
  • No. 26: Peter Hunt, chairman and CEO, Hunt Real Estate Corp.
  • No. 27: Michael Montante, CEO, Uniland Development Co.
  • No. 28: Robert Denning, president and CEO, Perry's Ice Cream Co. Inc.
  • No. 29: David Nasca, president and CEO, Evans Bank
  • No. 30: Michael McMahon, Buffalo market president and commercial banking executive - Upstate NY, KeyBank N.A.
  • No. 31: Donna DeCarolis, president, National Fuel Gas Distribution Corp.
  • No. 32: Raymond Ganoe, president and CEO, Evergreen Health
  • No. 33: Kenneth Kujawa, regional director, National Grid
  • No. 34: Darren King, senior executive vice president, M&T Bank Corp.
  • No. 35: Elad Levy, professor and chair, University at Buffalo Neurosurgery
  • No. 36: Jeremy Jacobs, chairman, Delaware North
  • No. 37: Elizabeth Woike-Ganga, president and CEO, BestSelf Behavioral Health Inc.
  • No. 38: Brandye Merriweather, president, Buffalo Urban Development Corp.
  • No. 39: Thomas Beauford Jr., president and CEO, Buffalo Urban League
  • No. 40: Christopher Koch, CEO, New Era Cap LLC
  • No. 41: Anne McCaffrey, president and CEO, people Inc.
  • No. 42: John Yurtchuk, chairman, genesis Development & Construction
  • No. 43: Dottie Gallagher, president and CEO, Buffalo Niagara Partnership
  • No. 44: Benjamin Zuffranieri Jr., managing partner, Hodgson Russ LLP
  • No. 45: JoAnn Falletta, music director, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
  • No. 46: Christina Orsi, president, John R. Oishei Foundation
  • No. 47: Michael Hughes, chief administrative officer, Kaleida Health
  • No. 48: William Lawley Jr., principal, Lawley
  • No. 49: Kevin Quinn, chief commercial banking officer, Five Star Bank
  • No. 50: A.J. Baynes, president and CEO, Amherst Chamber of Commerce
  • No. 51: Betsy Constantine, president/CEO, Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo
  • No. 52: Lorrie Clemo, president, D'Youville University
  • No. 53: Howard Zemsky, managing partner, Larkin Development Group
  • No. 54: Patrick Marrano, president, marrano/Marc Equity Corp.
  • No. 55: Anna Dibble, executive director-engine business manufacturing, cummins Inc.
  • No. 56: Stephen Turkovich, president, Oishei Children's Hospital
  • No. 57: Tara Wasik, plant director, General Motors Tonawanda Engine Plant
  • No. 58: Douglas Dimitroff, managing partner, Phillips Lytle LLP
  • No. 59: David Beaton, Owner, Kelton Enterprises LLC
  • No. 60: Tara Ellis, president and CEO, FeedMore WNY Inc.
  • No. 61: Nagendra Raina, CEO and president, Buffalo Games Inc.
  • No. 62: Gary Olson, president, Daemen University
  • No. 63: Christopher Kerr, CEO and chief medical officer, Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo
  • No. 64: Paul Ciminelli, CEO, Ciminelli Real Estate Corp.
  • No. 65: Richard Hamister, region president, Northwest Bank
  • No. 66: Cynthia Hoover, vice president, engineering, Linde Engineering Americas
  • No. 67: Tony Vazquez, director-securities settlements, Buffalo site head, Citi
  • No. 68: Kent Frey, president and CEO, Frey Electric Construction Co.
  • No. 69: Kevin Cross, managing partner and chairman, Lippes Mathias LLP
  • No. 70: Brandon Beane, general manager, Buffalo Bills
  • No. 71: Thomas Kucharski, president and CEO, Invest Buffalo Niagara
  • No. 72: Tom Wiley, president and publisher, the Buffalo News
  • No. 73: Greg Daniel, president and managing member; president, Luthuli Group and Focus Medical
  • No. 74: Peter Wilson, chairman and CEO, Sonwil Distribution
  • No. 75: L. Nelson Hopkins, founder and chief scientific consultant, Jacobs Institute

•••

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Power 250 2024: Day 2

  • No. 76: Tracy Sendor Woodrow, chief administrative officer, M&T Bank
  • No. 77: Irfan Khan, CEO, Circuit Clinical
  • No. 78: Laszlo Mechtler, chief medical officer, Dent Neurologic Institute
  • No. 79: Jeffrey Meyer, CEO and president, Baillie Lumber Co.
  • No. 80: Gregory Duval, regional executive and managing director, HSBC Bank USA N.A.
  • No. 81: James Newman, president and CEO, Noco
  • No. 82: Raul Vazquez, president, cinqCare
  • No. 83: Scott Stenclik, CEO, Aleron
  • No. 84: John Cappellino, president and CEO, Erie County Industrial Development Agency
  • No. 85: Erin DiGirolamo, CEO, the Horizon Corps.
  • No. 86: Michael Wisler, senior executive vice president & chief information officer, M&T Bank
  • No. 87: Matthew Whitehead, general manager, regional vice president, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services
  • No. 88: Wesley Alves, president and CEO, americas, ARMOR-IIMAK
  • No. 89: Corey Auerbach, managing director, Barclay Damon LLP
  • No. 90: Art Wingerter, president and CEO, Univera Healthcare
  • No. 91: Trina Burruss, president and CEO, United Way of Buffalo & Erie County
  • No. 92: Herbert Bellamy Jr., CEO, Bellamy Enterprises
  • No. 93: William Paladino, CEO, ellicott Development Co.
  • No. 94: Eric Feldstein, Western New York regional president and head of business banking, M&T Bank
  • No. 95: James Maher, president, Niagara University
  • No. 96: George Chamoun, CEO, aCV
  • No. 97: Martin Griffith, senior executive vice president, chief banking officer, cNB Bank
  • No. 98: Ted Janicki, president, Bank of America Buffalo Niagara, Bank of America
  • No. 99: Lisa Greisler, president, Visiting Nursing Association of WNY Inc.
  • No. 100: Christopher Belter, equity partner and COO, Goldberg Segalla LLP
  • No. 101: Andrew Davis, chief operating officer, erie County Medical Center
  • No. 102: Jon Williams, CEO, Viridi Parente Inc.
  • No. 103: Judy Baumgartner, president, Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, DeGraff Medical Park of Kaleida Health
  • No. 104: Richard Warzala, chairman and CEO, allient Inc.
  • No. 105: Eric Reich, chair, Western New York Regional Economic Development Council
  • No. 106: Peter Gundermann, chairman, president and CEO, astronics Corp.
  • No. 107: Kevin Ellis, CEO, Upstate Niagara Cooperative Inc.
  • No. 108: Renier Brentjens, Deputy director, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
  • No. 109: Brenda McDuffie, chair, erie County Industrial Development Agency
  • No. 110: Cindy Lee, CEO, OLV Human Services
  • No. 111: Therese Ferullo, Vice president, Buffalo campus lead, Ingram Micro Inc.
  • No. 112: Anthony Baynes, chairman, a.J. Baynes Group
  • No. 113: Allison Brashear, dean, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
  • No. 114: Carl Montante, executive chairman, Uniland Development Corp.
  • No. 115: Mindy Seibold, vice president and head of product management, geico
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Power 250 2024: Day 3

  • No. 116: Leecia Eve, Board chair, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
  • No. 117: Eric Recoon, Vice president, development and leasing, Benderson Development Co.
  • No. 118: Brian Higgins, president and CEO, Shea's Performing Arts Center
  • No. 119: Tim Sprunger, Vice president of operations, plant manager, Sumitomo Rubber USA
  • No. 120: Paul Vukelic, president and CEO, Try-It Distributing Co. Inc. and Balkan Beverage
  • No. 121: Robert Rich III, CEO, Roar Logistics Inc.
  • No. 122: Denise Jones, CEO, The Resource Center
  • No. 123: Jordan Levy, managing partner, SBNY
  • No. 124: Beth Hughes, president, Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute
  • No. 125: Russell Salvatore, Owner, Russell's Steaks, chops & More
  • No. 126: Margaret Paroski, president and CEO, catholic Medical Partners
  • No. 127: Kevin Gibbons, executive director, UBMD Physicians' Group
  • No. 128: Stephen Tucker, president and CEO, Northland Workforce Training Center
  • No. 129: Steven Hyde, president and CEO, genesee County Economic Development Center
  • No. 130: Michael Noah, president, BankonBuffalo
  • No. 131: James Garvey, executive vice president and chief administrative officer, catholic Health
  • No. 132: Frank Ciminelli II, president and CEO, arc Building Partners
  • No. 133: Steve Stoute, president, canisius University
  • No. 134: Kevyn Adams, general manager, Buffalo Sabres
  • No. 135: LaVonne Ansari, CEO and executive director, community Health Center of Buffalo Inc.
  • No. 136: David Pfalzgraf Jr., managing partner, Rupp Pfalzgraf LLC
  • No. 137: J.Conrad Seneca, Owner, Tallchief Territory - Home of Native Pride Travel Plaza
  • No. 138: Bart Kresse, area president, gallagher
  • No. 139: Mark Blue, president, NAACP Buffalo
  • No. 140: Christopher Ross, principal, Lawley
  • No. 141: Daniel Scully, CEO, Buffalo Medical Group PC
  • No. 142: Earl Ketry, president and managing partner, pearl Street Properties
  • No. 143: Cindy Voelker, president and CEO, Spectrum Health & Human Services
  • No. 144: Tonja Williams, Superintendent, Buffalo Public Schools
  • No. 145: Jason Rousell, Regional plant director, general Motors Lockport Operations
  • No. 146: Peter Krog, chairman and CEO, The Krog Group
  • No. 147: Colleen Heidinger, president, 43North
  • No. 148: Dwayne Jones, president, community Hope Builders CDC
  • No. 149: Louis Jacobs, CEO, Delaware North
  • No. 150: Paul Kolkmeyer, CEO, priam Enterprises LLC
  • No. 151: David Uba, CEO, excelsior Orthopaedics and Buffalo Surgery Center
  • No. 152: Anthony Spada Jr., president and CEO, aAA Western and Central New York
  • No. 153: Edward Walsh Jr., CEO, Walsh Duffield Cos. Inc.
  • No. 154: John Eagleton, commercial banking group manager, community Bank N.A.
  • No. 155: Michael McInerney, CEO, modern Disposal Services Inc.
  • No. 156: John Somers, president and CEO, Harmac Medical Products Inc.
  • No. 157: Gary Bichler, CEO and President, RP Oak Hill Building Co. Inc.
  • No. 158: Tom Quinn, CEO, WNY Impact Investment Fund
  • No. 159: Jody Briandi, president and managing partner, Hurwitz Fine P.C.
  • No. 160: Terry Galanis Jr., chairman and CEO, Sealing Devices Inc.
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Power 250 2024: Day 4

  • No. 161: Bassam Deeb, president, Trocaire College
  • No. 162: John Koelmel, chairman, New York Power Authority
  • No. 163: Duane Paddock, president and CEO, paddock Chevrolet Inc.
  • No. 164: Chuck Scothon, general manager, Fisher Price
  • No. 165: Dan Hamister, chairman and CEO, Hamister Group LLC
  • No. 166: Paul Iskalo, Founder and president, Iskalo Development Corp.
  • No. 167: Marnie LaVigne, president and CEO, Launch NY
  • No. 168: Thomas Garigen, Office practice leader, cannonDesign
  • No. 169: William Gisel Jr., executive vice chairman, Rich Products Corp.
  • No. 170: Mari Howard, president and CEO, Intandem
  • No. 171: Eric Pleskow, CEO, BryLin Hospital
  • No. 172: Christopher Koenig, president and CEO, Niagara Lutheran Health Care System and Lineage Care Group
  • No. 173: Jake Schneider, president, Schneider Services Cos.
  • No. 174: Frank Curci, Former CEO, Northeast Grocery Inc. (Tops)
  • No. 175: John Cleary, Senior project executive, gilbane Building Co.
  • No. 176: James Basil, president, Joe Basil Chevrolet
  • No. 177: Charles Makey III, president and CEO, merchants Insurance Group
  • No. 178: Nicholas Kosinski, managing director, east Coast operations, Odoo
  • No. 179: Russ D'Alba, president and managing director, paramax Corp.
  • No. 180: Michael Chapman, CEO, St. John Fruit Belt Community Development Corp.
  • No. 181: Russ & Frank Corigliano, co-owners, Rosina Food Products Inc.
  • No. 182: Martin Boryszak, president, mercy Hospital of Buffalo
  • No. 183: Patrick Lee, Founder and chairman, patrick P. Lee Foundation
  • No. 184: Joe Sahlen, president and CEO, Sahlen Packing Co. Inc.
  • No. 185: Joseph Dash, CEO and owner, Dash Markets Inc.
  • No. 186: Michael Swartz, medical center director, VA Western New York Healthcare System
  • No. 187: Frank Downing, chairman, Towne Automotive Group
  • No. 188: Alan Elia Jr., CEO, Sevenson Environmental Services Inc.
  • No. 189: Kevin Roland, CEO and president, Ferguson Electric
  • No. 190: Thurman Thomas, president, 34 Group
  • No. 191: C.J. Urlaub, president, mount St. Mary's Hospital
  • No. 192: Christian Campos, president, TM Montante Development
  • No. 193: Mark Geise, CEO, county of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency
  • No. 194: Peter Sauer, president, genesis Development & Construction LLC
  • No. 195: William Huntress, CEO, acquest Development
  • No. 196: Paul Cambria, attorney, Lipsitz Green Scime Cambria LLP
  • No. 197: Michael Brophy, president, Hilbert College
  • No. 198: Edward Snell, chief scientific officer, Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute
  • No. 199: Matthew Wagner, Senior vice president, Sodexo Live!
  • No. 200: Joseph Ruffolo, president and CEO, Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center
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Power 250 2024: Day 5

  • No. 201: Amy Hemenway, partner-in-charge, Buffalo office, Harter Secrest & Emery LLP
  • No. 202: Kim Liddell, president and CEO, Lake Shore Savings Bank
  • No. 203: Dave Schutte, CEO, Schutte Hospitality Group
  • No. 204: Craig Schreiber, co-president, Northtown Automotive Cos.
  • No. 205: Jill Owens, president, Upper Allegheny Health System
  • No. 206: Eric Hepkins, CEO, cornerstone Community Federal Credit Union
  • No. 207: Dennis Eshbaugh, president and general manager, Holiday Valley Resort
  • No. 208: Frank Ewing, CEO, aML RightSource
  • No. 209: Patricia Farrell, managing director, head of sales, Wilmington Trust N.A.
  • No. 210: Renee Filip, president and CEO, aspire of Western New York Inc.
  • No. 211: Mark Mistretta, Niagara region district director, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
  • No. 212: Susan Langdon, executive director, Niagara County Industrial Development Agency
  • No. 213: Patrick Kaler, president and CEO, Visit Buffalo Niagara
  • No. 214: Jeff Gingerich, president, St. Bonaventure University
  • No. 215: Steven Perrigo, Vice president and business manager, Turner Construction Co.
  • No. 216: Robert Beck, CEO, John W. Danforth Co.
  • No. 217: James Dentinger, president, Noco Enterprises LLC
  • No. 218: Jonathan Dandes, corporate vice president, Rich Products Corp.
  • No. 219: Charles Hunt, president and COO, Hunt Real Estate Corp.
  • No. 220: Tod Martin, chairman and CEO, The Martin Group
  • No. 221: Gerry Buchheit Jr., CEO, accent Stripe Inc.
  • No. 222: James Campbell, president and CEO, chapin International Inc.
  • No. 223: Thomas Emmerling, managing partner, Dopkins & Co. LLP
  • No. 224: David Rust, CEO, Say Yes to Education Buffalo
  • No. 225: Nicholas Sinatra, CEO, Sinatra & Co. Real Estate
  • No. 226: Jack Greco, Founder, cupule Ventures, Fillmore Farms and Stronghold Fund
  • No. 227: James Segarra, partner, Tronconi Segarra & Associates LLP
  • No. 228: John Percy, president and CEO, Destination Niagara USA
  • No. 229: Elizabeth McPartland, president and CEO, child and Family Services
  • No. 230: Henry Gorino, president, Local Boys
  • No. 231: Tom Calderone, president and CEO, Buffalo Toronto Public Media
  • No. 232: Louis Panzica, president and CEO, power Drives Inc.
  • No. 233: John Polka, Vice president of stadium development, Buffalo Bills
  • No. 234: Joseph DeFazio, president and CEO, Wendel
  • No. 235: Sharon Randaccio, CEO, performance Management Partners Inc.
  • No. 236: Richard Wright Jr., managing director and chairman of the board, Freed Maxick CPAs PC
  • No. 237: Adiam Tsegai, president, SUNY Erie
  • No. 238: Gary Marchiori, president, energyMark
  • No. 239: Raymond Bednarski, president and CEO, Kideney Architects PC
  • No. 240: Victor Peterson III, president and CEO, mJ Peterson Corp.
  • No. 241: Sara Dayton, managing partner, Lumsden & McCormick LLP
  • No. 242: Ken Franasiak, chairman and CEO, calamar
  • No. 243: Rocco Termini, president, Signature Development
  • No. 244: Matthew Giordano, president, Villa Maria College
  • No. 245: Tricia Barrett, CEO, crowley Webb
  • No. 246: Joseph Benedict, executive director/executive vice president, construction Exchange of Buffalo & WNY
  • No. 247: Kyle Ciminelli, president, ciminelli Real Estate Corp.
  • No. 248: Chandra Redfern, CEO, Buffalo Federation of Neighborhood Centers Inc. 
  • No. 249: Amy Craib, president, general Physician PC
  • No. 250: Daniel Vicente, Region 9 director, United Auto Workers

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