Board of Directors
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 2020-2021
LaVonne Ansari, PhD
Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director, Community Health Center of Buffalo, Inc
Christina Arthurs, Esq.
Lippes Mathias Wexler & Friedman
Tricia Barrett
Senior Vice President, Crowley Webb
Stephen W. 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
Artem Evdokimov, PhD
Vice President of Biochemistry & Biophysics
Silicon Therapeutics.
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
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
Jeffrey Renzoni
Vice President & Human Resources Business Partner,
M&T Bank’s Human Resources Division
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