Members

Gregory D. Stevens, Chairman
Gregory D. Stevens resides in Buffalo and has had a career spanning chemical, environmental, energy, specialty materials, and other technology driven businesses, both in very large corporate and small entrepreneurial settings, Greg has a well proven core competency in organizational leadership, growing businesses and in taking new technologies to market. Greg graduated from Harvard University with a BS in Biochemistry, and a minor concentration in East Asian Economics. International Business and Economics course work at the London School of Economics, and Washington University. Throughout his career Greg worked for Monsanto Corporation with a series of assignments in St Louis, Atlanta, and Taiwan, on the management development trac, concentrating on sales, marketing, commercial development, international licensing, joint ventures, and major petrochemical project development, principally in Asia. His next career move was to Strategic Analysis Europe, where he was President of European Operations, based in Brussels, Greg was responsible for client relationships with Ciba, 3M, Dupont, Novartis, Rhone Poulenc, Bayer, BASF, Henkel, Kemira, AtoChem, BP, Shell, and numerous others. Then onto Dynea, as Vice President of Industrial Technology, North America, Greg moved from Europe to Toronto to head up North American R&D and Industrial Sales and Marketing. As an entrepreneur Greg founded and managed EBS (Environmental Business Services). Major clients included Chemical Waste Managament, BP, Shell, ABB, and a host of smaller technology firms seeking access to the Asian markets. Greg then relocated home to Buffalo; where he developed a series of business and not for profit ventures all dedicated to green energy and economic development. Through his Buffalo Green Energy Corridor, working in conjunction with the City of Buffalo and ECIDA on brownfield to Greenfield redevelopment, Greg advises numerous green technology start ups on business and funding opportunities. As CEO of RiverWright, he fully developed and funded a large scale biofuels plant feasibility study for converting abandoned grain elevators to biomass based green energy complex. As Vice President of National Accounts for Demand Response Partners, he was responsible for working with large industrial clients to help manage their conventional and green energy. In 2012 Greg became Director, Business Development Next Point LLC. A business advisory firm helping privately held companies develop sound growth strategies, financial restructuring and develop M&A opportunities. Greg has been very active in the community where he was Chairman of the Board of Buffalo Niagara Riverkeepers, 2008-2013 Vice Chairman of the Board of Goodwill Industries, 2005-Currently, on the board of Rigidized Metals Corporation and member of the Harvard Club of Western New York.

Richard F. Soluri, Vice Chairman
Mr. Soluri, a former executive in the insurance industry, served as Mayor of the Village of Lewiston from 1994 thru 2009. As Mayor and a lifelong resident of Niagara County, as well as through his extensive involvement in numerous community organizations, Mr. Soluri has played a leadership role in expanding tourism opportunities and economic development in the Village and along Lewiston’s waterfront. He is a past Vice Chairman of the United Way of Niagara, a member of the Niagara County Chamber Commission, a member of the ArtPark & Co. Advisory Board, a founder of Service Organizations of Lewiston (S.O.L.E.) and director of the Niagara Tourism and Convention Corp.

Joseph H. Emminger, Commissioner
Joseph H. Emminger is currently the Supervisor of the Town of Tonawanda and President of Emminger, Newton, Pigeon & Magyar, Inc. a regional real estate valuation and consulting company. Joe has served on the Town Board since 2006 and has chaired the Town’s Water Resource and SEQR committees along with several other committees during his tenure on the Town Board. Joe earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Finance from Canisius College in 1982.

Sean A. Edwards (reappointment), Commissioner, Treasurer
Mr. Edwards resides in the Hamlet of Sanborn, New York where he is currently the Business Agent for U.A. Plumbers & Steamfitters Local No. 22 providing as liaison between members of the Local Union and Employers. Mr. Edwards served as a council member for the Town of Lewiston, and currently is serving the Town of Lewiston as Deputy Town Supervisor.

Samuel Magavern, Commissioner, Chairman Citizens Advisory Committee

Mary S. Cooke, Chairman Local Government Advisory Committee
Supervisor Town of Grand Island, New York is a very involved individual within her community and Western New York some of her many projects and community involvement include:

ReTree WNY – spring and fall tree plantings, fall 2007 – present
Fisherman’s Landing, 2008 – NR Greenway $400,482; LWRP EP Fund $267,593
Buckhorn Bike Path – 7/08: TEA-21 grant – $613,000, 80% Federal, 20% Town of Grand Island
Scenic Woods: Land Acquisition, 4/00; Master Plan, 6/08; Wetlands Delineation, 10/10

Special Districts Committee, 1/94- present, Chairperson: 1/96-12/99
Rag Elimination Project, $2 million
Water District Improvements, $2.3 million: tube settlers and water line
Annual Town-wide Newsletter containing Water Quality Statement, 2000 – present

Conservation Commission, 1/98- 12/11
Recycling Education Project including updated solid waste collection brochure
Interpretation of Majestic Woods Conservation Easement, 9/06 – present
Purple Loosestrife Control using Galerucella beetles, summer 2007, spring 2011
Historic Preservation Advisory Board, 3/08 – present
Photo displays: Historic Homes, The Elms (Pierce Farm), Before Beaver Island State Park,
Niagara River’s Playground, 75 years of the GI Bridges, Grand Island Now and Then,
Grand Island Hero Charles N. DeGlopper

Sidewalk and Bike path Committee, 6/94 (inception) – present, Chairperson: 6/94 – 12/99
$205,004 Safe Routes to School Grant, Ransom Road sidewalks, 2013
$100,000 Community Development Block Grant, sidewalks, 2011
$57,000 Federal Walk-To-School Grant for sidewalks, Kaegebein, 9/08
Trail planning for future Niagara River Greenway Projects

Community Service
• Friends of Grand Island Memorial Library Board, 1991 – present
President, May, 2005 – present
Vice-President, 1995 – 2005
• Grand Island Historical Society
Member, Education Committee, 1995 – present
Coordinator of 4th grade tour of Grand Island and River Lea, 1997 – present
• Grand Island School Business Alliance (GISBA)
Board of Directors Member, 1994 – present, Secretary, June 2005 – present
• Grand Island Relay For Life: Survivor’s Tent, 2004 – 2012

Commissioner Emeritus Advisory Committee

Paul G. Leuchner
Mr. Leuchner is a resident of Grand Island. Prior to joining the US Army Corps of Engineers Buffalo District Office in 1973 he worked as a research assistant spending considerable time in the North Atlantic Ocean on oceanographic vessels operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. During his career with the Corps of Engineers that spanned more than 30 years he worked as a wetlands biologist, water resources planner and project manager. The last half of his career was spent managing the Department of the Army water resources regulatory permit program that covered three states. While employed by the United States Government Mr. Leuchner served as an environmental advisor to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works in Washington. He also spent time at the Office of the Chief of Engineers where he assisted with the drafting of the national environmental compliance plan for Corps of Engineers operational facilities. Mr. Leuchner is a member of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary spending considerable time on the waters of the Niagara River. He is the Chairman of the annual Paddles Up Niagara event sponsored by the Niagara River Greenway Commission.

John J. Giardino
Mr. Giardino resides in Buffalo and is past Chairman of the Buffalo Niagara Jobs Initiative and served as a Board member of the Buffalo Urban League, Buffalo Zoo, National Conference for Community and Justice, Olmstead Conservancy, and Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority a number of other community organizations. Mr. Giardino acted as lead negotiator in the innovative Olmstead parks merger and management plan and is Chief Executive Officer of Centerstone Development. Mr. Giardino is also a special counsel in the Buffalo law firm of Phillips Lytle LLP.