Before I dive into the details about the Chamber's largest event of the year, I have one request, your participation in our Annual Survey. While this survey should not take more than 5-7 minutes of your time, your answers shape nearly everything we do. Your responses help us determine which programs to build next, which events deserve more of our time, and where our advocacy can make the biggest difference for your bottom line. The survey also gives us a clearer picture of how your businesses operate: how you hire and train, where you see growth, and what challenges stand in your way. Each response helps us show policymakers and partners the real state of business in our region and lets us share what we learn back with you. You can complete the survey here.
Just as your feedback shapes what we do all year, there is one night when we come together to celebrate what our business community has accomplished. On Monday, October 26th, nearly 500 business leaders, elected officials and community partners will attend Salvatore’s for The Event - Celebrating Business Excellence, the Chamber’s largest gathering of the year. Together, we will honor the organizations and individuals who make Western New York a better place to live, work and do business.
The size of that room says something about who we have become. Over the past several years, the Amherst Chamber has grown into a truly regional organization, with members in more than 100 zip codes across every corner of Western New York. Our roots will always be in Amherst, but our advocacy, our programming and our reach continue to serve businesses throughout the region. This year’s honorees reflect that reach, and every one of them has earned a place on that stage.
Business of the Year: LaBella Associates. LaBella has grown into one of the region’s most respected engineering, architecture and consulting firms, and its work is woven into some of the most significant projects in our community, including the new Highmark Stadium. Few projects will shape Western New York for the next generation like that one, and LaBella helped bring it to life.
Woman of Distinction: Laura Montante-Zaepfel, Uniland Development Company. Few people have done more for the Amherst Chamber, or for our region, than Laura. As a past Chair of our Board, she helped guide the Chamber through a period of growth and set a standard for leadership that continues to shape our organization today. Her service, however, has never stopped at our door. Across Western New York, Laura lends her time, talent, and leadership to a wide range of causes, and when a community effort needs someone to step up, she is so often the first to answer. Her commitment reaches well beyond her professional role, and our region is stronger because of it.
 Commitment to Excellence: Lumsden McCormick LLP. For decades, businesses across Western New York have trusted Lumsden McCormick with their most important financial decisions. The firm’s reputation for integrity and client service is second to none.
Community Stewardship: Child & Family Services. For well over a century, Child & Family Services has been there for the people in our community who need help the most, often at the most difficult moments of their lives. Its reach is remarkable: mental health counseling for children, adults, and families; foster care and adoption; residential treatment and special education for young people; and support for seniors. Through Haven House, the agency gives survivors of domestic violence a safe place to stay, a 24-hour crisis hotline, and the counseling and advocacy they need to rebuild. Child & Family Services meets our most vulnerable neighbors with dignity and care, and in doing so, it strengthens the very foundation of our community.
Family-Owned Business: HUNT Real Estate. Founded in 1911 and now led by its fourth generation, HUNT has done what so many family businesses struggle to do. The torch has passed from one generation to the next while continuing to grow and evolve for more than a century. But HUNT has never been just a business. It is a true community partner, one that has helped generations of Western New York families find a place to call home and that shows up, year after year, for the neighborhoods and causes that make our region stronger.
Entrepreneurship: Top Seedz. A homegrown success story and past 43North award winner, Top Seedz began as a simple idea and has grown into a brand found on store shelves well beyond our region. Just as important, it has chosen to grow here at home, expanding its manufacturing operations in downtown Buffalo. That commitment to our community, paired with the creativity and grit that define entrepreneurship in Western New York, makes Top Seedz a natural choice for this honor.
My sincere thanks to M&T Bank for sponsoring this year’s celebration. The Event sells out every year, and we are once again expecting a standing-room-only crowd. To learn more, click here.
I hope to see you there. Please remember, my door is open.
