August 2018 Chairman Newsletter

Hello to the WNY Technology Community and thank you for allowing me to be your InfoTech WNY Chairman!! I would like to introduce myself to those who don't know me. I was a past Board Member from 2011 until April of 2017 when I took a well-deserved break. During the years, I served as a Board Member, Board Secretary for a short period of time and Vice Chairman for over 3 years. I am also the Director of Information Technology for the Buffalo Niagara Association of Realtors and have been there over 8 years. I also run my own business called Buffalo Perspective, as an Aerial Photographer doing marketing videos that require a different perspective!
 
I came back to assist the Board once again and I am working on several events that I believe many of you will be very interested in. More info will be coming on those events in the months ahead so stay tuned!
 
We have had some transitions on the Board that I wanted to share with you. First, I would like to thank Patrick Finucane, CFO of Sinatra and Company, our past Chairman, for all the hard work and dedication over the years he has been a part of InfoTech. We recently instituted a new policy where the Immediate Past Chair stays on for one year to help out the Incoming Chair with the transition, so Pat is still working with us for the next year. I would also like to thank Kelly Flicinski, owner of 716 Marketing, who stepped down as Vice Chair in June after her many years on the board as our Marketing guru. Kelly made sure all our website, social media and events were top notch under her watchful eyes. And lastly, thank you to Chirag Desai from IVR Technology Group, who recently stepped down as our Treasurer.
 
Transitions are never easy, but that allows for new people to step up and into new roles, and I am pleased to announce that Sam Marrazzo, the Chief Innovation Officer of the BNMC, was voted in as Vice Chairman. Sam is well known throughout our community and has helped bring several awesome Technology events to WNY. I am thrilled he is working with our board! Also, Maggie Shea, CPA and owner of StaffBuffalo LLC, has been voted in as our new Treasurer. Maggie, in addition to being a CPA, has served as Treasurer for the BNHRA for over 5 years and brings a new level of energy to our board. Lastly, we have also added director-at-large, Michael Grimaldi, Director Enterprise Architecture at Blue Cross Blue Shield of WNY. Michael's technical background along with his wealth of knowledge will help us create new educational events catered around the application development side. He replaced another outstanding Board member, Scott Morris, who was voted in when I first started in 2011. Scott will be missed, and I thank him and Blue Cross Blue Shield for being a strong partner of InfoTech.
 
So that's a lot for my first month in office. I promise to you all that my door is always open and I am willing to listen to any of your ideas and suggestions to make WNY the best place to be when it comes to our Technology Community! 
 
Peter Cimino
Chair, InfoTech WNY