John Crawford - Junior Achievement of WNY
BNSME Beat
John Crawford’s career has been dedicated to the wellbeing of the entire Western New York Community through leadership in not-for-profit marketing and communications, development, constituent relations, and program advancement. Currently, John is the Executive Director of Junior Achievement of WNY where he helps make community connections for improved service impact, administration, fundraising, and volunteer recruitment. Prior to joining Junior Achievement, John served as Operations Director at the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Buffalo providing life changing services to those most in...
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Don Papaj - Marketing with Variable Data
BNSME Beat
Don Papaj spent his entire professional career with leading-edge organizations within the marketing communications industry. While working for a Fortune 500 firm, Don experienced and observed the incredible shift in database, online, and print marketing technologies taking place in the late ‘90’s and early 2000’s. He envisioned blending these new technologies with great service and expertise to create a better, faster and less expensive marketing services company, unlike any company before it. The vision became a reality in 2004 – businesses and organizations quickly began to rely on...
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Michaela LaJoie - The Art of Hospitality Sales
BNSME Beat
Michaela LaJoie is a talented hospitality industry leader with a proven track record in sales, event management, revenue optimization, and team leadership. As the Director of Sales & Marketing at The Westin Buffalo, she oversees a diverse team across sales, catering, and reservations, driving innovative strategies to maximize hotel revenue and profitability. With over a decade of experience in the hospitality industry, Michaela has cultivated her expertise through roles at prestigious brands such as The Ritz-Carlton and Marriott. Her leadership style and strategic approach have...
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Craig Turner - Incorporating AI in Chambers of Commerce and Business
BNSME Beat
This month’s guest on the ninth episode of BNSME Beat is Craig W. Turner, the visionary founder and president of Momentum – The Business Growth Agency. We will be discussing “Incorporating AI in Chambers of Commerce”. A trailblazer in the field of AI, Craig is a sought-after consultant, providing cutting-edge AI training and solutions to chambers and small businesses. His expertise in AI has made him a prominent speaker on the subject, captivating audiences with eye-opening, but practical, education and insights. Momentum excels at driving ROI for companies through their innovative...
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Tricia Barrett - Climbing the Ladder to Success
BNSME Beat
This month’s guest on the eighth episode of BNSME Beat is the CEO of Crowley Webb, Tricia Barrett. The discussion revolved around the 2024 CEO Roundtable topic: “Climbing the Ladder to Success”. Tricia Barrett is the CEO of Crowley Webb, a full-service advertising agency of 130+ headquartered in downtown Buffalo. In addition, Tricia serves as president of Praxis Communications, Crowley Webb’s patient recruitment division that assists in finding participants for clinical trials on behalf of pharmaceutical companies. Tricia currently serves as vice chair of the board for...
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Stephen Neuss - The Winning Spirit
BNSME Beat
This month’s guest on the seventh episode of BNSME Beat is Director of Sales at PCA Techology Group, Stephen Neuss. We will be discussing “The Winning Spirt”. With over two decades of experience in the tech industry, Steve has served as the Director of Sales at PCA Technology Group. His role involves steering a dynamic sales and marketing team dedicated to providing exceptional value throughout their clients’ experiences. His expertise spans managed services, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and telecommunications. As a customer-centric leader, Steve has a solid track record of...
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Francine Brooks - Change in the Landscape of Business
BNSME Beat
Francine Brooks - Senior Business Development Consultant Francine holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Sr. George Williams University in Montreal, Canada, and is a graduate and alumnus of the “Core” and “Advanced” programs offered through the School of Management’s Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (CEL) at the University at Buffalo. Francine has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the “Small Business of the Year Award” from the Amherst Chamber of Commerce, “Best Places to Work” in Western New York, the “Who’s Who among Executive Women” award, the...
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Jill Pawlik - How to Succeed with Strategic Marketing
BNSME Beat
Jill Pawlik owns Jill Pawlik Strategic Marketing, a boutique firm focused on helping small businesses and non-profits. She is a seven-time award-winning communications and marketing professional with 25+ years of experience leading successful communications, marketing, branding, and public relations work for diverse organizations across Western New York, including State Farm, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Uniland Development, Buffalo Niagara Partnership, and BestSelf Behavioral Health. She serves on the board of the Buffalo Niagara Sales and Marketing Executives, is a past president, and chairs its...
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Lindsay Amico - Managing Your Mental Health in the Workplace
BNSME Beat
This month’s guest on the fourth episode of BNSME Beat is Mindset Coach Lindsay Amico. We will be discussing the importance of managing your mental health in the workplace. Lindsay’s business, Picture Perfect Mind, focuses specifically on helping people to feel better on a day to day basis with mindfulness, motivational, and thought management tools. With an approach that goes beyond stress reduction, Lindsay provides people with the tools to release limiting beliefs and connect to their true purpose. Lindsay also facilitates mindfulness and self-development workshops for patients,...
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Mike Belin - Listening is a salesperson's secret weapon.
BNSME Beat
The power of listening takes center stage on BNSME Beat! This month's episode features Mike Belin discussing why it's crucial for sales success. Mike joined Nacre Consulting in 2019 as an accomplished sales leader with more than 20 years of experience after a successful career in the advertising and digital & multimedia marketing industry. As an Executive Growth Strategist with Nacre, Mike works with a diverse group of businesses focused on growing their top-line revenue, improving sales processes, and creating a structure of sustainable growth. Mike is a passionate and driven leader whose...
info_outlineJohn Persons, the CEO of Northeast Grocery Inc. (NGI), which is the parent company of Tops Friendly Markets and Price Chopper/Market 32, joined BNSME Host Greg Hennessey for a discussion on Business’ responsibility/participation in the community. We talked about the many ways in which Tops has been active in the community and how their response to the May 14 tragedy on the East Side of Buffalo has changed their approach in that community.
John began his career as a cart clerk for Tops in 1984. Throughout his 40-year tenure at Tops, his responsibilities have ranged from Store Operations to Sales & Marketing, Real Estate, and Information Technology, culminating in his appointment as President of Tops in 2015, and then ultimately CEO of Northeast Grocery earlier this year. Committed to supporting the company's associates and the communities around the stores, John also serves on the board of Western New York not-for-profits, including recently as Board Chair of The Children’s Hospital of Buffalo Foundation, The Buffalo Niagara Partnership, and Kaleida Health. A native of Western New York, he holds a B.A. and M.B.A. from the State University of New York at Buffalo, residing in Clarence, NY, with his wife, Amy, and their four children.