Buffalo Niagara 360 is hosting a Kickoff Celebration for young professionals on November 15th at the Larkin Center of Commerce. As a part of the program, ten Spotlight Professionals will be unveiled as Buffalo Niagara's Ones To Watch, and Buffalo Rising is teaming with Buffalo Niagara 360 to preview some of these promising young leaders before the event.
Buffalo Niagara 360 offers young professionals opportunities in leadership development, networking and community involvement. Hundreds of the area's most promising future leaders will gather in one historic location to launch the 2012 year of programming with several new additions. The Ones to Watch have been hand-selected as young leaders who are expected to positively impact the community in the upcoming year. Buffalo Rising is announcing these young professionals one by one. Today's Spotlight Professional is Shandra Spicer.
Shandra Spicer is President and CEO of S&W Contracting of WNY, Inc., a full-service general construction contractor and janitorial services, equipment and supply company. In 1999 at the age of 18, Ms. Spicer secured a loan from her father and a small line of credit from her sister, and founded S&W. She saw an opportunity for a minority, woman-owned company in the Buffalo market. Spicer oversees all functions of the business including construction operations, business development, sales and marketing, negotiations, finance, human resources and customer service. She is affiliated with UB CEL, National Association of Professional Women, Buffalo Niagara 360 Young Professionals, CELAA, Buffalo Niagara Partnership Leadership Forum, Emerging Business Leaders, ProNet, Small Business Advisory Board and Women TIES. Spicer has been featured in numerous publications including From Beginners to Big Shots, Business First, the Buffalo News, UB Business Engagement and Outreach, UB School of Management, the Challenger, EmergingBUsiness.us and LPCiminelli's Make It Happen.
Spicer is excited about Buffalo's potential for growth. She sees an energy and momentum in what she calls the hidden jewel of the Northeast. She thinks that Buffalo is very unique and once discovered by the masses, our region's growth will be unstoppable. Spicer is passionate about investing in our youth in order to prepare them for the future in a city that is a spectacular place to live and work.
Stay tuned for Buffalo Rising's special features on our area's Ones to Watch. The final 5 Spotlight Professionals will be revealed at the Buffalo Niagara 360 Kickoff Celebration on November 15th.
To register for the Buffalo Niagara 360 Kickoff Celebration, visit www.buffaloniagara360.org.
Any white males in this group?
Burch, I'm sure that there are, but does it really matter? I'm looking to see what these professionals are doing in Buffalo to make it a better city. I'm also looking at the reasons why they live and work here, and what they like about the area. I'm not sure why anyone was selected for a profile, other than their positions and accomplishments. I think that these future business leaders have been great to read about, and I would not have even thought about the issue that you bring up.
Yet, there are no white males. Burch makes a point at something I spoke about yesterday. Every person selected for a profile, has been either a minority, female or both.
Are you saying to us that in your list of BNP360 members, there was not one white male doing anything good in WNY? Not one?
There aren't any white males in the business world, so why would they be represented here? Maybe you should reach out to the NAACP?
So out of five or so profiles, the fact that there are no white males concerns you? Wow. WOW. All you shoud care about is that young people are doing great things in and for this area. And if you really want to see a white male here, find one who's doing something productive and call the BN360.
"Are you saying to us that in your list of BNP360 members, there was not one white male doing anything good in WNY? Not one?"
What a stupid, loaded question...
especially since the same people probably gripe about dysfunction in poor, black neighborhoods. show them some people of color who are achievers and not dysfunctional and they freak out.
Burch,
I am sure you would have been equally freaked out if they were all white males being profiled...or maybe a complaint would never have crossed your mind.