BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The University at Buffalo School of Management's Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (CEL) has been honored as one of the top 100 Small Business Influencers for 2011 by Small Business Trends.

The award, sponsored by BlackBerry, recognizes companies, organizations and people who have made a significant impact on the North American small business market.

Thomas Ulbrich, CEL executive director, accepted the award at the official Awards Gala on Sept. 13 in New York City.

The CEL was recognized for promoting business growth through leadership development and experiential learning, enhancing the management abilities of business leaders and building new business relationships through an expanded network of contacts.

"Our programs champion entrepreneurial gusto in the pursuit of sustainable opportunities, long-term successes, financial independence and genuine personal reward," Ulbrich says. "We are extremely honored that the CEL's success has been recognized with this prestigious honor."

Other notable 2011 Small Business Influencer honorees include Microsoft, The New York Times, UPS, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Business.

Nearly 900 CEL alumni employ more than 22,000 Western New Yorkers, and their businesses are worth more than $2 billion to the local economy. For more information, visit http://mgt.buffalo.edu/cel or contact the CEL at 716-885-5715 or mgt-cel@buffalo.edu.

Small Business Trends is an award-winning online publication for small business owners, entrepreneurs and the people who interact with them. It has a monthly readership of more than 300,000 through its main website and associated websites, as well as RSS and Twitter feeds, and its content is syndicated to other websites and newsletters.

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 has been ranked by Bloomberg Businessweek, 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 http://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.