Business people/Hires, Promotions & Honors
Sandhill Investment Management in Buffalo named Gary Stott vice president of business development. Stott, an accounting graduate from Canisius College, has more than 25 years of sales and financial experience. He most recently was president of a business and human resource consulting practice and a medical recruiting business.
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Manzella Marketing Group, a Buffalo advertising and marketing firm, named Christine Potratz graphic designer. Potratz is a graduate of the University at Buffalo with a bachelor’s in communication design and seven years of design experience.
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Fidelis Care, the nonprofit health plan, named Ana Lewin a training and development specialist. Previously with Univera Healthcare, Lewin earned bachelor’s degrees in English and photography from the University at Buffalo and a master’s degree in organizational development from Medaille College. Also, the company promoted Kellie Sikorski to claims processing supervisor. Sikorski has been with the company for four years.
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M. J. Peterson Real Estate named Hugh M. Hartzberg director of agent development at the company’s Amherst headquarters. He is a graduate of Cornell University and the Baltimore Law School.
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First Niagara Bank promoted Douglas Grobe to vice president, director of collection and recovery services. Grobe joined the bank in 2003 as mortgage default manager. He attended the University at Buffalo.
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Delaware North Cos. Gaming and Entertainment President William J. Bissett was a keynote presenter at the 7th annual New York Gaming Summit in Saratoga Springs.
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The Aspire Foundation, the economic support arm for Aspire of Western New York, elected Peter Rice president. Rice is chief financial officer of Parkview Health Services. Other officers: Vice president, James Carminati, Waterbourne Real Estate Advisors; executive vice president, Thomas Sy, Aspire; secretary/ treasurer, Georgia Dachille, Rich Product Corp. Members: John
E. Ballow, The Ballow Law Firm; Jacob Herstek, Nixon Peabody; Stephen Jepson, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of WNY; Michael O’Brien, Aspire; Jack Walsh III, Walsh Insurance Group; Earl Wells, E-3 Communications; and Thomas Wienckowski, Aspire.
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Merrill Lynch named David J. Siwiec, vice president, financial adviser in its Buffalo office. Siwiec has more than 15 years experience in the financial services field. He graduated from Canisius College.
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1st Priority Mortgage, a licensed mortgage banker with the state Banking Department and the Core Service Mortgage Operation of RealtyUSA, named Ken Wojnowski sales manager, covering Buffalo, Rochester, and Ithaca. Wojnowski joined the company in 2007 after working in the banking industry as a manager, owner, and mortgage consultant for more than 19 years.
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Freed Maxick and Battaglia, certified public accountants with offices in Buffalo, Batavia and Rochester, named Justin Bonk and John Gagne staff consultants in its enterprise risk management practice. Bonk is a recent graduate of the University at Buffalo. Gagne is a Canisius College graduate.
