Residents named distinguished alumni

The Canisius College Alumni Association will president its Distinguished Alumni Award to Williamsville residents Nelson D. Civello and Franklin J. Sciortino during ceremonies on Saturday, Nov. 10 at the college's Montante Cultural Center.

Cocktails begin at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m., followed by a formal awards presentation.

Civello is a 1967 alumnus of Canisius College and the Oishei visiting professor of finance in the college's Department of Economics and Finance. He joined Canisius in 2001, when he introduced the Golden Griffin Fund, a student-run investment fund that utilizes real money. He also added a new course on fixed-income capital markets and secured Bloomberg computer certification.

He currently serves on the Bond Market Foundation Board, which is the charitable arm of the association, Strategic Solutions International, and the Board of Directors for JB Hanauer & Co., a New Jersey brokerage firm.

Sciortino is a 1956 alumnus of Canisius College and district director of the U.S. Small Business Administration in Buffalo. Employed by the agency since 1965, he was appointed to branch manager in 1975 and director of the Buffalo District, responsible for all program areas, in 1990.

He has been recognized for his achievement in business, including being honored by the Erie County Industrial Development Agency in 2004 for advocating for small businesses in WNY.