University at Buffalo School of Management

Brian Maze, BS '02, CPA, was promoted to senior manag- er at Chiampou Travis Besaw & Kershner. Charles Meister, BS '02, was pro- moted to vice president, re- gional consumer credit advisor at KeyBank. Dave Wedekindt, PMBA '02, was named director of marketing and sales for Artpark. He also joined the board of direc- tors for the Arts Services Initiative of Western New York. Charles Fashana, BS '03, was pro- moted to chief operating offi- cer at 19 IDEAS, a marketing and communications agency. Shane P. Marmion, BS '03, was promot- ed to president of William S. Hein & Co., a legal pub- lisher and period- ical subscription agent. Eric M. Hepkins, PMBA '04, was named CEO of Cornerstone Community Federal Credit Union. Matthew B. Morey, BS '04, was promoted to senior partner at Lipsitz Green Scime Cambria, where he focuses on business and corporate law. Emily Miller, BS '06, was named chief financial of- ficer for The Arc Erie County. Scott S. Allen Jr., MBA '07, joined Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman LLP as a senior as- sociate, focusing on government investigations and compliance. Kevin J. Cavalieri, PMBA '07, was promot- ed to senior vice president at M&T Bank, where he serves as manager of operational risk, corporate insurance and risk governance. Susan Grzybowski, BS '07, CVA, was pro- moted to manager of litigation and valuation services at Dansa D'Arata & Soucia CPAs LLP. Jason Houseman, PMBA '07, was promoted to senior vice president of com- mercial banking at Citizens Bank. Mariah Kerwin, PMBA '07, was promoted to breakthrough innovation proj- ect leader at Rich Products Corp. Criste' L. Staples, BS '08, CPA, was named senior as- sociate in the Tax Advisory Group at Dopkins & Co. LLP, a public accounting and consulting firm. Barrett E. Price, CEL '09, owner and president of Bear Metal Works and Denler Stainless, announced that his companies earned certifications for food-grade equipment and fabri- cation from the National Sanitary Foundation. 2010s Stacey M. Chaffee, BS '10, CIA, was appointed supervisor in the Buffalo Enterprise Risk Management Group of Freed Maxick CPAs. "A lot of people, when they get to know me, are surprised I went to college," Scott Kaplan, BS '08, deadpans from the stage of New York's Gotham Comedy Club as the audience roars with laughter. Kaplan earned his bachelor's in accounting from the School of Management, but these days you're more likely to find him performing stand-up than crunching numbers. After graduating in 2008, he joined the Manhattan-based firm of Rosen Seymour Shapps Martin & Co. as a staff audi- tor, but lost his job during the recession. Kaplan decided to shift into entrepreneurship and joined his family business, Kohler Meats. Today, he owns a provisions route, delivering cold cuts to shops across the city and, last year, launched Peerless Arts, a pop-up gallery specializing in street, pop and contemporary artwork. Though he's long been intrigued by comedy, Kaplan discovered his love and knack for per- forming about two years ago when he took an improv class at Peoples Improv Theater. Since then, he's honed his craft at UCB Theatre and the American Com- edy Institute, performed in clubs around New York, and competed in the World Series of Comedy in Boston and Boise, Idaho. Kaplan says his accounting background helps him stay organized and manage the financial processes required to juggle his ventures — and pursue his passion. "It's such a rush," he says of per- forming on stage. "Getting those 30 to 45 seconds of nonstop laughter, for me, is the ultimate high." x Alumni Spotlight: Scott Kaplan, BS '08 Autumn 2018 Buffalo Business 27 Meister Wedekindt Fashana Marmion Hepkins Morey Miller Cavalieri Grzybowski Houseman Kerwin Staples Price Chaffee Allen

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