On Monday, October 20th, the elegant ballroom at Salvatore's was as energetic as ever as we celebrated with nearly 500 members, investors, and community leaders who gathered for The Event Celebrating Business Excellence 2025. The evening unfolded as a testament to the resilience and innovation driving our Western New York business community forward. Each honoree that evening was humble and inspiring with their own personal acknowledgment of thanks for the award they received. Our Honorees included:
- Business of the Year: Kelton Enterprises, LLC
- Commitment to Excellence: Lippes Mathias LLP
- Family-Owned Business Award: Walsh Insurance
- Stewardship Award: The Summit Center
- Woman of Distinction: Lynne Marie Finn, Broadleaf Results
David and Allanna Beaton of Kelton Enterprises, our Business of the Year recipients, are the proud owners of 47 Tim Hortons, currently employing over 1,100 people across the Western New York community, making them the largest franchisee in the state. Their dedication and success serve as a shining example for aspiring entrepreneurs. They closed the evening by providing thanks to so many people that have helped them along the way such as Mike Dolan, a partner with Tronconi Segarra and Associates who have served as their accounting firm, and Brian Donovan the founder of EBC who has been providing payroll services for them since day one, but it was the sincere thanks to their all-female management team that were in attendance that received the most thunderous applause.
The evening also served as the official graduation of our 2025 Emerging Business Leaders' class. This program, which saw the participation of forty young professionals, was a platform for them to hone their professional skills and contribute to the community. They met once a month, engaging in workshops and networking events, and their graduation marks the continuation of their journey as future leaders in our business community. We are now accepting applicants for our 2026 program, and space is limited. Please register at Amherst.org.
We must extend our deepest thanks to Salvatore's for their flawless execution that night, the reviews from our guests who have attended over the years, felt this was by far the smoothest the food portion has ever run. Also, to our sponsors, including our headline sponsor M&T Bank and Lippes Mathias, ESC, and Highmark WNY, their generous support makes these nights possible. If you missed it, photos and highlights are up on our website—relive the joy!
As we turn the page to November, the Amherst Chamber is his hosting our On-The-Job training Grant Webinar: Unlock Funding for Your Workforce – November 6: Investing in talent? Join us for an exclusive webinar on On-the-Job Training (OJT) Grants, designed to help Western New York employers offset training costs for new hires. Led by NYS Department of Labor experts, this 90-minute session (10 a.m.–11:30 a.m. via Zoom) will demystify applications, share success stories from local firms like yours, and provide templates to fast-track your funding. Whether you're scaling up or skill-building, we are here to help. Register at amherstchamber.org/events.
While the Chamber maintains its status as the only Chamber in Western New York with its own in-house benefits team, it is actively working to put together the new health insurance rates approved by New York State for our providers. With Open Enrollment kicking off, now's the moment to review your employee benefits package. In an era of talent wars, competitive perks aren't optional—they're essential.
Need guidance on health plans, retirement matching, or wellness stipends? Our Benefits Navigation Team is here to help, at no extra cost to members. Schedule a free 30-minute consult via benefits@amherst.org or call (716) 250.0983 for Matthew Castaldo. We've assisted numerous businesses over the years in crafting packages that help boost employee retention. We recognize this process can be cumbersome, and we encourage you not to go it alone.
As we wrap up our success in October, we are nearing the end of the year which means we are working towards finalizing our 2026 calendar. We are here to support your success. We have always maintained an open door for feedback, and much of the great programming we have is a result of your contributions. If you have ideas for our 2026 calendar, or want to reach out—we're all ears. Please remember my door is always open.