46 business leaders graduate from CEL Core program

By Kevin Manne

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Forty-six established entrepreneurs are armed with the skills to move their businesses forward after graduating from the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (CEL) Core program in the University at Buffalo School of Management.

The graduates were honored at a joint ceremony for three CEL programs in June at UB’s Center for the Arts.

Wendy Wilson, general manager of LynOaken Farms and Leonard Oakes Estate Winery, received the C. Taylor Kew Entrepreneurial Excellence Award, which recognizes graduates for entrepreneurial excellence and exemplifying the principles for which the late Kew stood. An energetic advocate for the CEL, Kew created and operated several companies and donated his time to several civic organizations before his tragic death in a seaplane crash in 1992.

The new Core graduates completed a peer-based, mentor-driven program to help grow, refocus or better manage their businesses. During the 10-month course, the entrepreneurs performed an in-depth analysis of their businesses, while developing expertise in such key areas as strategic planning, capital acquisition, employee relations and marketing.

The 2017 CEL Core graduates are:

• Adebukola Abiola, MD, Preston Healthcare
• James Ando, Jim Ando Plumbing Inc.
• Cyrus Ardalan, Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy
• Mary Frances Bayer, Beyond Boundaries: Therapy for Kids
• Heather Bellini, Heather Bellini Photography LLC
• Rosanna Berardi, Berardi Immigration Law
• Brian Bonvissuto, Beautiful River and Brian’s Landscaping
• Christopher Brown, Thermal Kinetics Engineering PLLC
• David Burgio, Custom Wealth Strategies
• Charles Burns, Destination Wellness
• Ginine Capozzi, KnowledgeForce Consulting LLC
• Robert Curtis, RAC Engineering
• Vitaly Dedovets, Dalex Construction
• Marc DiGiore Jr., Picasso's Pizza/DRM Management
• Joe Fox, TrainSMART Personal Fitness LLC
• Brian Grunert, White Bicycle
• Dale Hibbard, Hibbard Home Improvement
• Brad Irish-Jones, Irish Companies
• Pattianne Jablonski-Dopkin, Urban Roots Garden Center
• Valerie Janker, Artmeiers Trucking LLC
• Patricia Jensen, Contentment Camping
• Curtis Knight, Cater Tots
• Daniel Kochmanski, DDK Communications
• Jaclyn Kooshoian, Elmwood Taco and Subs
• Ashley Kopf, O’Brien’s Quality Service Flooring Inc.
• Darrick Kristich, Sedara
• Teresa Linenfelser, Marker Systems
• Michael Lucchino, Elmwood Taco and Subs
• Luke Marchiori, EnergyMark LLC
• Robert Minicucci, Health System Services Ltd.
• Adam Mollenberg, Mollenberg-Betz
• Sonya Noor, M.D., Buffalo Endovascular and Vascular Surgical Associates
• Greg Norton, Twisted Rope
• Dave Owczarzak, BGI Millwork
• Steve Powers, AV Perfection Limited LLC
• Michael Quinniey, Western New York Minority Media Professionals Inc.
• Sabina Ramsey, Insight International USA LLC
• Amy Ruffino, Beyond Boundaries: Therapy for Kids
• Shawn Siddle, SS Diesel and Auto
• Kyle Swiat, STI-CO
• Gene Szerbiak, Print2Web LLC
• Brian Tefft, T&R Seasonal Services Inc.
• Andrew Terragnoli, Studio T3 Engineering
• Daniel Wangelin, Renoun Creative
• Wendy Wilson, LynOaken Farms and Leonard Oakes Estate Winery
• John Ziemann, Mollenberg-Betz 

Applications are open for the next CEL Core program, beginning this fall. Individuals interested in the program can learn more about the curriculum and speak candidly with Core alumni at an open house at 8 a.m. July 11 at Acqua, located at 2192 Niagara Street, Buffalo. To register for the open house or apply, contact the CEL at 716-885-5715 or mgt-cel@buffalo.edu.

Established in 1987, the CEL provides participants with individualized and interactive education in entrepreneurship. More than 1,300 CEL alumni employ more than 22,000 Western New Yorkers, and their businesses contribute more than $2 billion to the local economy annually. For more information, visit mgt.buffalo.edu/cel.