Business News

BNI Business Makers will meet at 7 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 31 at Amberleigh on Maple Road, at the corner of Transit Road in Williamsville. Harry Forrest, an attorney with Gross Shuman Brizdle & Gilfillan with offices in Buffalo and Canada, will speak about the state scaffold law. Contact Deb Nye, at 913-1541 for further information. BNI Business Makers will not meet on Feb. 7.

The American Diabetes Association announces its sponsors for the 2008 Tour de Cure, its annual cycling event, to be held on Saturday, May 31 at Niagara County Community College. Sponsors with an office or location in Amherst are: Northrop Grumman Amherst Systems, Walgreen's, CVS/pharmacy, Gold's Gym, M&T Bank, Erie & Niagara Insurance Association, eXubrio Group LLC, Olive Garden, Panera Bread, Sbarro, Starbucks Coffee and Subway. In 2007, the Buffalo Tour de Cure raised $325,000 with 1,000 riders. The goal for 2008 is to exceed $375,000.

The Niagara University Family Business Center will host a breakfast presentation from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 5 at the Sonoma Grille, 5010 Main St., Snyder. Pat Herberger of Pre-Paid Legal Services Inc. will speak on "Protecting Privacy Rights of Employers and Consumers - Have You Taken the Necessary Steps to Protect Your Firm from Liability?" For more information and reservations, contact Vincent Agnello, director of the center, at 286-8172 or on the Web at www.niagara. edu/fbc.

The Buffalo Niagara Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners will hold a meeting for emerging and established business owners. The meeting is at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13 at Fairdale Inn, 672 Wehrle Drive, Amherst. Reservations must be received by 5 p.m. Feb. 8, and can be made online at www.nawbowny. org, by calling 580-1135 or via e-mail at Jamie420@roadrunner.com The cost is $25 for members and $30 for guests. Amy Remmele, owner of Peak of Success, will be the guest speaker.

Brenda Alesii of Williamsville has been named to the board of directors for the Pregnant with Cancer Network. She is a sales and marketing representative at Entercom Radio in Buffalo and has her own consulting company, Brenda Alesii Communications, focusing on public relations, media training and company branding. Her sister, Norma Alesii, passed away from breast cancer in 1999. Norma's battle inspired Alesii to serve on breast cancer related boards and is the impetus for her participation in the Pregnant With Cancer Network.

Linda Morgan, a housekeeper for the Beechwood Homes, with locations in Amherst, was awarded the New York Association of Homes and Services for the Aging's 2007 Long Term Care Employee of Distinction Award. The award acknowledges the efforts of the staff, working in the association's member organizations, who have demonstrated a willingness to make personal sacrifices to improve the lives of others. She has been employed by the company for 18 years.