Battaglia & Associates

Improving Customer Service

The Allstate Minority and Women Emerging Entrepreneurs (MWEE) Program in the UB School of Management's Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (CEL) helped Marie Battaglia position her company for success.

Battaglia & Associates, Resource Development Consultants of Amherst specializes in grant development and procurement for schools and universities, non-profit agencies and health care providers.  Since 1999, it has secured more than $110 million in federal, state and foundation grants for its wide range of clients.

Battaglia, president of the company, excelled in MWEE, where participants, called proteges, work with mentors to formulate realistic business goals and develop timetables and strategies for achieving them.

"The program helped me understand how to better serve current customers while increasing business," Battaglia says.  For example, she notes, by learning to focus on building her business, rather than only on the day-to-day operations, she was able to develop a marketing plan and better position the firm for future growth.

For her efforts, she was recognized in 2009 as "Protege of the Year" by her MWEE peers.

Battaglia is currently enrolled in the CEL's Core program, which offers deeper insights into aspects of business development, including financial planning, human resources and staff management.

CEL helps professionals develop their enterprises and companies in new and innovative ways through programs such as the MWEE and its Core program.

Learn more about the UB School of Management's Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership.