People in the News

Somma

Joe Sommaof East Amherst was named director of market research and intelligence by Independent Health, headquartered in Amherst. He has experience in market research, market and competitive intelligence and database marketing. He was previously director of business strategy at Sigma Marketing.

John L. Sinatra Jr. of Amherst has joined Hodgson Russ as a partner in the Business Litigation Practice Group. Prior to joining Hodgson Russ, he was appointed by the White House to the General Counsel's Office in the U.S. Department of Commerce to serve as the third-ranking attorney in its 400-lawyer department.

Melissa Hayes of Williamsville was named vice president of product management for Independent Health. She is responsible for alignment across all lines of business and products. She joined Independent Health in 1992 as part of the newly created Medicaid plan, MediSource.

Jeremy B. Beck of Snyder joined Nottingham Advisors as vice president/portfolio manager. He joined the firm as a portfolio manager and member of the investment committee in 2008. Previously, Beck worked at First Niagara Trust and Investment Services as a trader and then portfolio manager.

Sinatra

Philip M. Gulisano of Amherst, a partner in the Buffalo law firm of Burden, Gulisano & Hickey LLC, was recently appointed as a member of the Trucking Industry Defense Association, a national organization devoted to the defense of the trucking industry in personal injury, property damage and workers' compensation claims.

Colleen Brennan has joined Coldwell Banker Commercial Meridian with Patricia L. Collins and Eric C. Tudor, who purchased the commercial franchise in 2005. The office has been located in Snyder for seven years. Brennan will also be selling residential real estate.

Hayes Beck Gulisano Brennan