Meetings

World Trade Celebration slated

for May 8

World Trade Center Buffalo Niagara and Speed Global Services will present the 13th annual "World Trade Celebration 2008" from 4:30 to 10 p.m. Thursday, May 8 at the Buffalo Convention Center, 153 Franklin St., Buffalo. The celebration is an annual networking event attended by more than 500 American and Canadian executives. This year's event will feature a keynote address by Joe Loughrey, president and chief operating officer of Cummins Inc, who will share ideas and strategies with local business executives on how to compete and succeed globally. Online registration is available for the event at www.wtcbn.com or by calling 852-7160. Single tickets are $175; a table of eight costs $1,195.

Empire State

College sets

information event

Empire State College will hold four area public information sessions about its undergraduate degree programs at 12:30 p.m. Monday, May 5, at its Niagara Frontier Center in the AppleTree Business Park, 2875 Union Road, Cheektowaga. College representatives will be on hand to answer any questions about flexible associate, bachelor's and master's degree programs. For more information on the sessions or to reserve a space, call 1-800-847-3000 or visit www. esc. edu.

BNSME to hold

new product development night

Buffalo Niagara Sales and Marketing Executives is holding an event for business people whose companies often miss goals when launching new products. "How to Improve Your New Product Development Success Rate" will begin at 8 a.m. - with registration at 7:30 a.m. - on Wednesday, May 7, at the Millennium Hotel, 2040 Walden Ave., Cheektowaga. Tickets are $15 for members and students and $25 for nonmembers. For more information or for tickets, call 662-2279 or e-mail bnsme@bnsme.org.