Chamber reshapes for 2007

The Amherst Chamber of Commerce recently installed the organization's 2007 officers and new board members. Dennis Elsenbeck, vice president of Business Services of National Grid, was installed as the new chairman of the board of directors.

Other officers installed were Rich Cahlstadt, HSBC Bank, secretary; Mark Gaulin, Personal computers, Inc., first vice chair; David Flynn, Phillips Lytle, LLP, second vice chair; William Mc- Gowan, AccuMed Technologies, Inc., treasurer; Sharon Lochoki, KeyBank, N.A., small business council chair; and Stuart Haney, Robson Roes, advocacy council chair.

The chamber also announced the following individuals have been elected to the board of directors: Kerry Atkinson, Buffalo Bills; Matthew Enstice, Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus; Victor L. "Pete" Peterson, MJ Peterson Real Estate; Malini Sridhar, CompSys Technologies; Donald Hahn, Hahn & Associates; and Terry Elberson, Schunk Wilson & Company. The officers and board members were sworn in by New York State Senator Mary Lou Rath.

"I want to thank my predecessor, Paul Nesper, for his leadership as chairman over the past two yeas," Elsenbeck said. "This is an exciting time to be in a leadership position at the chamber as we undertake the implementation of our Sustainable Amherst program in collaboration with our community and civic partners."

The chamber also presented its 2006 Volunteer of the Year Award to the various officials that served on the Amherst Chamber of Commerce Town Budget Review Committee. Among those who served on the committee who were honored include: Ian Redpath, Ph.D, associate professor and accounting department chairman at Canisius college, who served as committee chairman; John Oehler, partner, Lumsden and McCormick; Peter O'Brien, a former partner Peat Marwick; Joseph Wild, CEO, Manning and Napier; and Christopher Fiorello, managing partner, Employee Benefits Group.

"The chamber is entering an unprecedented period for our organization as the community, business and political climate has changed dramatically," Colleen DePirro, president and CEO of the chamber, said. "We believe that Sustainable Amherst has the potential to mutually align the interests of these segments of our community in moving forward."