The Buffalo Niagara Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO©) installed its 2019/2020 board of directors at the historic Twentieth Century Club in Buffalo on Wednesday, June 12th.Sherrie Barr Mack, managing partner, The MackBarr Group, was installed as president of NAWBO Buffalo Niagara; other officers include President-Elect Paula D’Amico, founder, Blessings by Nature®; Secretary Jacqueline Lennert, owner, Rove Jewelry, Accessories & Gifts; and Treasurer Nicholle Overkamp, CEO, Wilcox Financial.  Christine Howard, E. B. Howard Consulting, will serve as immediate past president and board chair.

Chapter directors installed that evening include Gwendolyn Bork, owner of Queen City Collaborative; Joyce DeLong, owner of Allegra Marketing Print Mail; Janelle Kurtzman, owner of Janelle Kurtzman Interiors; Aly Luccari, owner of Bright Organizing Solutions, LLC; Kimberly Pachetti, president of Naniwan Luxe, LLC; Destiny Rogowski, owner of Sweet Heart Pin Up; Andrea Schillaci, partner at Hurwitz & Fine; Mary Szabat, VP and senior wealth advisor, Tompkins Financial Advisors; and Janna Willoughby-Lohr, owner of Papercraft Miracles.  Member Laura Zimberg, owner of Green Pastures Still Waters Massage, was announced as NAWBO Ambassador, whose role will be to give guests and new members a warm welcome and share with them what the organization brings to women entrepreneurs and the business community.

NAWBO Buffalo Niagara members were honored with chapter awards, including 2019 Member of the Year, Lisa A. Coppola, Esq., founder and managing partner of The Coppola Firm and owner of The English Gardener and Jackie Lennert, owner of Rove Jewelry, Accessories & Gifts, LLC.

The evening’s events took place at the historic Twentieth Century Club located in the heart of downtown Buffalo. Founded in 1894, the club reflected the growth of the national women’s club movement and the increased influence of women generally in American life.

History was made in another sense that night: Barr Mack is the first African American chapter president in the 25-year history of NAWBO Buffalo Niagara and, in honor of the occasion, Mayor Byron Brown proclaimed June 12th as “National Association of Women Business Owners” Day in Buffalo.