Board of Directors

Picture of John Horn

HWI recently celebrated its 60th anniversary as an independent research institution- a place where cures begin through investigator-initiated projects. It has been more than 60 years since Helen Woodward Rivas gave her founding gift of $3 million in 1956 to support the leading edge research of Dr. George Koepf (the equivalent of a $26 million gift in today’s economy). I am pleased to see the impact that HWI has had over this time period and how well poised it is to have significant impact in the future. I know Helen would feel the same. I actively participate in this promising future as a friend to the Institute and I hope that you will continue to do the same. The Institute’s scientific team is talented, dedicated and inspires us daily.  Please feel free to visit the Institute so that they can inspire you, too!

Best regards,

John G. Horn, Esq.
HWI Board Chair

HWI Board of Directors 2019-2020

Christina Arthurs, Esq.
Lippes Mathias Wexler & Friedman

Steve Bell
Partner, Steve Bell Communications

Jill K. Bond, Esq.
Senior Vice President
Rich Products Corporation

E. J. Burke
Co-President (retired), Key Community Bank

William J. Constantine
Managing Director, 19/19 Investment Counsel

Renita DiStefano
CIO, Seneca Gaming Corporation

Daniel T. Gewirth, PhD
Principal Research Scientist, Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute

Venu Govindaraju, PhD
Vice President for Research and Economic Development, University at Buffalo
SUNY Dist. Professor School of Engineering & Applied Sciences

Richard Hamister
Senior Vice President
New York Region President
Northwest Bank

Michele Heffernan, Esq.

John G. Horn, Esq.
Partner, Harter Secrest & Emery LLP

Richard Mueller
Vice President, Commercial Real Estate
M&T Bank

Philip D. Nobel
Vice President, Harry R. Defler Corp.

James Obletz
Delaware North Companies

Kunle Odunsi, MD, PhD
Deputy Director Cancer Center
Chair. OB/GYN Dept
Exec Dir, Center for Immunotherapy
Roswell Park Cancer Institute

Anthony P. Pandolfi, CFP, CLU
UBS Financial Service

Samuel J. Russo, CPA
Partner, Lorraine Capital

Edward H. Snell, PhD
President and CEO
Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute

Franca Trincia, CPA
CFO, Olmsted Center for Sight

Emeritus Directors

Stuart H. Angert

Richard Aubrecht, PhD

Thomas R. Beecher, Jr.

Norbert A. Bennett, CPA

James R. Biltekoff

Constance S. Constantine

Judith A. Feldman

Christopher T. Greene, Esq.

Jane F. Griffin, PhD

L. Nelson Hopkins, III, MD

James R. Kanski, MD

Charles A. Martin, Jr.

Lewis D. McCauley

Thomas McMahon

Elizabeth S. Mitchell

Peter T. Ostrow, MD, PhD

Joseph A. Voelkl

Pamela Vogt

Albert J. Wright, III