Dottie Gallagher has taken on a range of leadership roles in this community, including a stint as a marketing executive here at The News.
Now she’s preparing to retire from her latest role as head of the region’s largest business group, the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, where she has been CEO since 2013. Her retirement is set for June 2026, as reported by The News’ Matt Glynn. Grant Loomis, the chief operating officer, is adding the duties of president, and will become CEO upon Gallagher’s retirement.
Dottie Gallagher, who has led the region’s largest business group since 2013, will retire in June 2026. More immediately, she is giving up the president’s duties while remaining CEO.
In the meantime, Gallagher will continue work along several of the organization’s priorities, among them helping workers who face the “benefits cliff,” in which they face losing eligibility for certain public assistance benefits if their income rises to a certain level.
The Partnership has also reached out to small businesses through its BNP Pro Free, a new complimentary membership level, offering an array of resources, networking and support. Another focus is the tech hub, a mutual effort between Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse to develop a semiconductor corridor across New York State. The three regions were awarded $40 million in federal funds to create a “tech hub.” The state supplemented the effort by awarding $8 million in funding.
It’s an excellent example of how upstate New York regions can collaborate on economic development.
Gallagher led the tourism agency Visit Buffalo Niagara for three years prior to joining the Partnership. Her enthusiasm, seemingly boundless energy and dedication has been appreciated throughout all her roles.
AI startup eyes prize
The 43North business competition is getting closer, with an exciting homegrown element. A Buffalo-based AI-driven behavioral and mental health platform is among the 16 semifinalists.
As News business reporter Mike Petro wrote, Integral Health will compete for one of five $1 million prizes in the startup pitch competition. The finals will be held Oct. 16 at Shea’s Performing Arts Center.
Buffalo AI-driven behavioral and mental health platform Integral Health is among 16 semifinalists for the 43North competition in October and will vie for one of five $1 million prizes.
Integral Health uses artificial intelligence to integrate behavioral health care with primary care, offering personalized, data-driven mental health support. Founder MJ Chey moved to Buffalo from San Francisco earlier this year to help create “traction” for what is now her fourth startup.
Buffalo is on a roll: Last year Buffalo food tech startup Food Nerd won the competition, and three startups from Western New York were part of the semifinals.
This year, around 900 startups applied. Winning startups have an obligation to move to Western New York for one year (although some, like Chey, with a team of five already in Buffalo, settle here sooner). The company has about 30 employees, most of them in New York City but Chey previously said she would like to increase the company’s local presence. Smart move.
Redford’s ‘Natural’ has Buffalo magic
Many people who have visited or landed in Buffalo, understand its allure. That includes the late Robert Redford, whose love of Buffalo was recently captured in a fascinating column by Erik Brady. It’s based on a 2001 interview that Redford did with the journalist Jeffrey Zaslow, who was then a contributing writer for USA Weekend magazine.
“I had a house around the block from Lake Erie,” Redford said of his time here filming “The Natural” in 1983. “I was there three months. I loved it.”
Redford discussed going on to location to Buffalo in 1983, to shoot the baseball movie “The Natural.” In other coverage, Gusto Editor Toni Ruberto took a deep dive into the “fuse” of Redford and director Barry Levinson that helped attract a slew of A-list directors to Buffalo and its iconic architecture.
Buffalo’s love affair with the Robert Redford film “The Natural” has never seemed to dim in the more than 40 years since the film was made here, but it will become a little more wistful now with the announcement of the actor and filmmaker’s death on Tuesday at age 89.
As Marv Levy said, “Where else would you rather be than right here, right now?”
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