Welcome to the 2026 Power 250.
For the last 14 years, we've compiled a list of the most powerful business leaders in Western New York. Today, we're releasing an unranked preview of the people on the list. Look for the complete ranking in March, along with more information describing the positions that each leader holds.
Over the course of a year, some leaders stand out and some stand down. We take into consideration the parameters of a job, number of employees, community activities, length of time at a company and the overall impact of a person's personality.
We acknowledge that this is a subjective list, but we apply years of news experience to determine the people on the Power 250, along with the Power 200 Women in the summer and the Power 100 Business Leaders of Color in the fall.
Here is this year's list.
The 2026 Power 250
- Meghan Aldrich, Sisters of Charity and St. Joseph hospitals
- LaVonne Ansari, Community Health Center of Buffalo Inc.
- Corey Auerbach, Barclay Damon LLP
- Tricia Barrett, Crowley Webb
- James Basil, Joe Basil Chevrolet
- David Bauer, National Fuel Gas Co.
- Judy Baumgartner, Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, DeGraff Medical Park of Kaleida Health
- Anthony Baynes, A.J. Baynes Group
- A.J. Baynes, Amherst Chamber of Commerce
- David Beaton, Kelton Enterprises LLC
- Thomas Beauford Jr., Buffalo Urban League
- Robert Beck, John W. Danforth Co.
- Raymond Bednarski, Kideney Architects PC
- Herbert Bellamy Jr., Bellamy Enterprises
- Christopher Belter, Goldberg Segalla LLP
- Randy Benderson, Benderson Development LLC
- Nathan Berti, Hodgson Russ LLP
- Gary Bichler, RP Oak Hill Building Co. Inc.
- Scott Bieler, West Herr Automotive Group
- Paul Bliss, Bliss Development
- Karen Blount, Buffalo General Medical Center and Gates Vascular Institute
- Mark Blue, NAACP Buffalo
- Don Boyd, Kaleida Health
- Bill Brandel, Ingram Micro
- Allison Brashear, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
- Renier Brentjens, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Jody Briandi, Hurwitz Fine PC
- Gerry Buchheit Jr., Accent Stripe Inc. and Quaker Crossing LLC
- Marya Burgio Wlos, Community Bank
- Trina Burruss, United Way of Buffalo & Erie County
- Tom Calderone, Buffalo Toronto Public Media
- Chris Campos, TM Montante Development
- John Cappellino, Erie County Industrial Development Agency
- Michael Capuana, Erie 1 BOCES
- Gregory Carballada, Azar Design Co.
- Steve Carmina, Carmina Wood Design
- Michael Casciano, Noco
- Mindy Cervoni, Community Services for Every1
- George Chamoun, ACV
- Jody Chesko, Niagara Produce Inc.
- Kyle Ciminelli, Ciminelli Real Estate Corp.
- Paul Ciminelli, Ciminelli Real Estate Corp.
- Frank Ciminelli II, Arc Building Partners
- Lorrie Clemo, D'Youville University
- David Colligan, Colligan Law LLP
- Betsy Constantine, Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo
- Kelly Corbi, Kaleida Health
- Russ & Frank Corigliano, Rosina Food Products Inc.
- Jessica Cox, Highmark Western and Northeastern New York
- Michael Cropp, Independent Health
- Kevin Cross, Lippes Mathias LLP
- Russ D'Alba, Paramax Corp.
- John Daly, Trautman Associates
- Jonathan Dandes, Rich Products Corp.
- John Dandolph, Alkegen
- Greg Daniel, Kanaka Partners and Focus Lifestyle
- Joseph Dash, Dash Markets Inc.
- Andrew Davis, Erie County Medical Center Corp.
- Sara Dayton, Lumsden & McCormick LLP
- Bassam Deeb, Trocaire College
- Joseph DeFazio, Wendel
- Robert Denning, Perry's Ice Cream Co. Inc.
- James Dentinger, Golisano Institute for Business
- Anna Dibble, Cummins Inc.
- Erin DiGirolamo, The Horizon Corps.
- Douglas Dimitroff, Phillips Lytle LLP
- Frank Downing, Towne Automotive Group
- Derek Drake, Mercy Hospital of Buffalo
- Bonita Durand, SUNY Buffalo State University
- Gregory Duval, HSBC Bank USA N.A.
- Michael Edbauer, Highmark Western and Northeastern New York
- Alan Elia Jr., Sevenson Environmental Services Inc.
- Kevin Ellis, Upstate Niagara Cooperative Inc.
- Tara Ellis, FeedMore WNY Inc.
- Thomas Emmerling, Dopkins & Co. LLP
- Dennis Eshbaugh, Holiday Valley Resort
- JoAnn Falletta, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
- Eric Feldstein, M&T Bank
- Richard Ferranti, Rich Products Corp.
- Ron Ferri, Tops Friendly Markets
- Renee Filip, Aspire of Western New York Inc.
- Brian Fitzharris, Fisher-Price
- Kent Frey, Frey Electric Construction Co.
- Terry Galanis Jr., Sealing Devices Inc.
- Dottie Gallagher, Buffalo Niagara Partnership
- Raymond Ganoe, Evergreen Health
- Thomas Garigen, CannonDesign
- James Garvey, Catholic Health
- Mark Geise, County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency
- Jennifer Gibson, Northwest Bank
- Jeff Gingerich, St. Bonaventure University
- Matthew Giordano, Villa Maria College
- Tom Golisano,
- Lisa Greisler, Visiting Nursing Association of WNY Inc.
- Pete Guelli, Buffalo Bills and Sabres
- Peter Gundermann, Astronics Corp.
- Dan Hamister, Hamister Group LLC
- Colleen Heidinger, 43North
- Amy Hemenway, Harter Secrest & Emery LLP
- Eric Hepkins, Cornerstone Community Federal Credit Union
- Brian Higgins, Shea's Performing Arts Center
- Brandon Hoffman, Nissha Medical Technologies
- Beth Hollis, West Herr Automotive Group
- Cynthia Hoover, Linde Engineering Americas
- Charles Hunt, Hunt Real Estate Corp.
- Peter Hunt, Hunt Real Estate Corp.
- Michael Huntress, Acquest Development
- Paul Iskalo, Iskalo Development Corp.
- Alice Jacobs, Innovation Philanthropy Initiative
- Louis Jacobs, Delaware North
- Jerry Jacobs Jr., Delaware North
- Ted Janicki, Bank of America
- Douglas Jemal, Douglas Development Corp.
- Candace Johnson, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Denise Jones, The Resource Center
- Dwayne Jones, Community Hope Builders CDC
- René Jones, M&T Bank
- Patrick Kaler, Visit Buffalo Niagara
- Patty Kaminski, Wegmans Food Markets
- Christopher Kerr, Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo
- Earl Ketry, Pearl Street Properties
- Andrea Klyczek, Niagara County Industrial Development Agency
- Christopher Koch, New Era Cap LLC
- John Koelmel, New York Power Authority
- Christopher Koenig, Niagara Lutheran Health Care System and Lineage Care Group
- Nicholas Kosinski, Odoo
- Bart Kresse, Gallagher
- Peter Krog, The Krog Group
- Thomas Kucharski, Invest Buffalo Niagara
- Kenneth Kujawa, National Grid
- Shawn LaBarge, Thermo Fisher Scientific
- Marnie LaVigne, Launch NY
- William Lawley Jr., Lawley
- Cindy Lee, OLV Human Services
- Patrick Lee, Patrick P. Lee Foundation
- Elad Levy, University at Buffalo Neurosurgery
- Irving Levy, Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies Inc.
- Jordan Levy, SBNY
- Grant Loomis, Buffalo Niagara Partnership
- Dave Macholz, Catholic Health
- William Maggio, Lorraine Capital
- Dan Magnuszewski, Radial Ventures
- James Maher, Niagara University
- Charles Makey III, Merchants Insurance Group
- Matthew Malone, Graham Corp.
- Gary Marchiori, EnergyMark
- Joyce Markiewicz, Catholic Health
- Patrick Marrano, Marrano/Marc Equity Corp.
- Tod Martin, Martin Group
- Tony Masiello, Masiello Martucci and Hughes Associates
- Mark Masse, Genesee County Economic Development Center
- Chuck Mauro, President
- Robert McArdle, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
- Anne McCaffrey, People Inc.
- Brenda McDuffie, Erie County Industrial Development Agency
- F. James McGuire, McGuire Development
- Michael McMahon, KeyBank N.A.
- Laszlo Mechtler, Dent Neurologic Institute
- Brandye Merriweather, Buffalo Urban Development Corp.
- Jeffrey Meyer, Baillie Lumber Co.
- Michael Mineo, Kaleida Health
- Kimberley Minkel, Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority
- Mark Mistretta, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
- Michael Montante, Uniland Development Co.
- Denise Neamon, Bonadio & Co. LLP
- Kevin Nephew, Seneca Gaming Corp.
- James Newman, Noco
- Michael Noah, CNB Bank
- John Notaro, Buffalo Medical Group PC
- Jamie Obletz, Delaware North
- Gary Olson, Daemen University
- Christina Orsi, John R. Oishei Foundation
- Duane Paddock, Paddock Chevrolet Inc.
- William Paladino, Ellicott Development Co.
- Louis Panzica, Power Drives Inc.
- Ken Pawlak, NBT Bank
- Terry Pegula, Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres
- Jon Pellish, CTBK LLP
- John Percy, Destination Niagara USA
- Steven Perrigo, Turner Construction Co.
- John Persons, Northeast Grocery Inc.
- Victor Peterson III, MJ Peterson Corp.
- Plamen Petkov, Armor-IIMAK
- David Pfalzgraf Jr., Rupp Pfalzgraf LLC
- Eric Pleskow, BryLin Hospital
- Thomas Quatroche Jr., Erie County Medical Center Corp.
- Kevin Quinn, Five Star Bank
- Tom Quinn, WNY Impact Investment Fund
- Nagendra Raina, Buffalo Games Inc.
- Eric Recoon, Benderson Development Co.
- Chandra Redfern, Buffalo Federation of Neighborhood Centers Inc.
- Eric Reich, Western New York Regional Economic Development Council
- Mindy Rich, Rich Products Corp. and Rich Entertainment Group
- Pat Roche, Moog Inc.
- Kevin Roland, Ferguson Electric
- James Rooney, Bond Schoeneck & King PLLC
- Christopher Ross, Lawley
- Joseph Ruffolo, Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center
- David Rust, Say Yes to Education Buffalo
- Joseph Salvatore, Salvatore's Italian Gardens
- Antonio Samuel, Tesla
- Michael Schiavone, Lipsitz Green Scime Cambria LLP
- Jake Schneider, Schneider Services Cos.
- Craig Schreiber, Northtown Automotive Cos.
- Dave Schutte, Schutte Hospitality Group
- James Segarra, Tronconi Segarra & Associates LLP
- J.C. Seneca, Seneca Nation
- Adnan Siddiqui, Jacobs Institute
- Nick Sinatra, Sinatra & Co.
- Janne Sirén, Buffalo AKG Art Museum
- John Somers, Harmac Medical Products Inc.
- Shana Stegner, CBRE Upstate NY
- Barry Stelmach, Catholic Medical Partners
- Scott Stenclik, Aleron
- Steve Stoute, Canisius University
- Richard Suchan, rsuchan@buffalodiocese.org
- Kathleen Sweet, Gibson McAskill & Crosby LLP
- Sarah Tanbakuchi-Ripa, 43North Foundation
- Rocco Termini, Signature Development
- Thurman Thomas, 34 Group
- Satish Tripathi, University at Buffalo
- Adiam Tsegai, SUNY Erie
- Stephen Tucker, Northland Workforce Training Center
- Stephen Turkovich, Oishei Children's Hospital
- David Uba, Excelsior Orthopaedics and Buffalo Surgery Center
- Willie Underwood, American Medical Association
- Julie Urban, M&T Bank
- Karen Utz, Empire State Development
- Paul Valley, Univera Healthcare
- Anthony Vazquez, Citi
- Cindy Voelker, Spectrum Health & Human Services
- Paul Vukelic, Try-It Distributing Co. Inc. and Balkan Beverage
- Matthew Wagner, Sodexo Live!
- Edward Walsh Jr., Walsh Duffield Cos. Inc.
- Jennifer Walter, Moog Inc.
- Richard Warzala, Allient Inc.
- Tara Wasik, General Motors Tonawanda Engine Plant
- Matthew Whitehead, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services
- Jon Williams, Viridi Parente Inc.
- Mary Wilson, Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation
- Peter Wilson, Sonwil Distribution
- Michael Wisler, M&T Bank
- Elizabeth Woike, BestSelf Behavioral Health Inc.
- John Wojdan, Great Lakes Building Systems Inc.
- Tracy Woodrow, M&T Bank
- Richard Wright Jr., Withum
- Bryan Young, Young Development
- John Yurtchuk, Genesis Development & Construction
- Laura Zaepfel, Uniland Development Co.
- Kayla Zemsky, Larkin Development Group
FirstUp views
0
FirstUp likes
0
FirstUp shares
0