The Amherst Chamber of Commerce, although headquartered in the Town of Amherst, serves as a Western New York champion with a Regional Vision. The Council is committed to creating smart growth by supporting a Community Development Plan that provides a blueprint for adaptive re-use of underutilized or outdated properties.
The Chamber also promotes issues that foster growth and prosperity in the business ecosystem and annually releases its Public Policy Agenda, a strategy for a stronger, more vibrant region.
- To review current status of the region's economy
as it relates to employment, building vacancies and job creation. - To develop consensus for the need for in-fill projects that may increase parcel density.
- To work with regional economic development agencies to promote findings and instigate investment.
- To interface with the membership to solicit policy issues at all levels of government.
- To host Public Officials Briefings with elected officials, on both sides of the aisle at all levels of government, for the purpose of nurturing relationships and communicating the Council's positions.
- To develop an Annual Public Policy Agenda that identifies the issues that the council is actively supporting.
2022 Economic Development & Public Policy Council
Michael Pietkiewicz
Co-Chair
Wendel Companies
Mary Grace Welch
Co-Chair
National Grid
Jeffrey Amplement
NFTA
A.J. Baynes
Chamber President/CEO
David Beaton
Kelton Enterprises, LLC
Lisa Blair
Inspire Dental Group
Camille Brandon
O'Donnell & Associates
Melissa Brinson, MBA
Millington Lockwood & AMP Interior Construction
Evan Bussiere
Hurwitz & Fine
John Cleary
Gilbane Building Co.
Edward Damico
National Fuel
Rick Glogowski
Keller Williams Realty
Ellie Grenauer
Glen Park Tavern
Craig Harris
Catholic Health
Kevin Horrigan
People Inc.
Michael Hughes
Kaleida Health
Donald Ingalls
Highmark of Western New York
Jenna Kavanaugh
Invest Buffalo Niagara
Darren Kempner
NFTA
Thomas Kucharski
Invest Buffalo Niagara
Megan Landreth
Horizon Corporations
Sarah Locke-Henderson
DoorDash
David Mingoia
Amherst IDA
Gerald Nannen
Windsong Radiology
Roberta Rifkin
Independent Health
Luis Rodriguez
Rodriguez Construction Group
Sal Sciandra
Frey Electric Construction Co.
Nicholas Stalnecker
National Fuel Gas Co.
Robert Stark
CJS Architects
Megan Toohey
University at Buffalo
David Tytka
Uniland Development
Timothy Vaeth
The Pike Company
Earl Wells III
e3communications, Inc
Nolan Wells
Independent Health
A.J. Wright
Highmark of Western New York
Laura Zaepfel
Uniland Development