UB Partners Day to Honor Hodgson Russ and Professors Hezel and Schentag

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Hodgson Russ LLP and University at Buffalo professors George M. Hezel and Jerome J. Schentag will be honored by UB for their leadership in the community and longstanding support of the university at the UB Partner's Day luncheon on June 9 in the Adam's Mark Hotel in Buffalo.

Formerly known as UB Business Partners Day, the event has celebrated companies, organizations and individuals who have played key roles in partnering with UB to strengthen the economy locally and throughout New York State.

This year, UB Partners Day celebrates not only business partners but also recognizes that a strong economy requires the cooperation of educational, civic, community and government partners, explained Marsha Henderson, UB vice president for external affairs.

"UB's partnerships with business and civic organizations are critical to the quality of life for all of the Buffalo-Niagara community," she said. "This UB Partners Day celebrates the role we play together in building a better future for our region."

Hodgson Russ LLP will receive the Vital Partner Award -- the highest honor bestowed on a company by UB. Hodgson Russ attorneys Millard Fillmore and Nathan Hall were integral to the formation of UB in 1846, with Fillmore serving at the university's first chancellor. Now the firm employs more than 120 UB alumni, many who have given back through volunteer service on the UB Council, UB Foundation and the deans' advisory councils.

During the luncheon, James J. Walter, senior vice president responsible for worldwide product quality, safety and regulatory compliance at Mattel Inc., will present his keynote address on "Crises and Priorities: Mattel's Story When Faced with Industry Challenges." Walter received his bachelor's and master of business administration degrees from UB.

In addition to the awards presentation, from 8:30 a.m. to noon, an interactive exhibit of UB partnerships and a series of workshops will be presented by UB and industry representatives to demonstrate the many ways businesses and organizations can profit from a relationship with UB.

Nearly 100 companies, offices and civic organizations will be represented at UB Partners Day, with more than 500 business and community members expected to attend. For more information on UB Partners Day and to register, go to http://www.buffalo.edu/partnersday.

Hezel, a clinical law professor, will receive the inaugural University Community Partners Award, which recognizes highly engaged, community-based academic research, scholarship or service collaborations that positively impact the community while also advancing the university's multiple goals. As director of the UB Law School's Affordable Housing Clinic, Hezel recently helped secure three grants totaling more than $28 million that will enable the construction of 106 new housing units in the City of Buffalo. Since its founding, the UB clinic has secured more than $200 million from federal, state and local government funds for affordable housing projects throughout the region.

Schentag, a professor of pharmaceutical sciences and founder of TheraSyn Sensors Inc., will receive the UB Faculty Entrepreneur Award. The award recognizes the important role of translating the inventions and discoveries of UB scientists and scholars in ways that benefit society. A serial entrepreneur, Schentag co-invented and contributed to the initial patents and technology that formed startup company Gastrotarget, whose assets were sold to what is now SmartPill Corporation. Therasyn Sensors Inc. is a therapeutic synergy company whose initial product involves a non-invasive glucose sensor that will be less expensive and more acceptable than traditional "finger stick" methods.

UB President John B. Simpson noted that Hodgson Russ's longstanding and positive relationship with UB has been mutually beneficial. The company has provided financial and advisory support to UB as well as hiring graduates, mentoring interns, sponsoring entrepreneurial activities and collaborating on research.

"The university's rich and rewarding relationship with Hodgson Russ is an outstanding example of how UB and our community partners are working together to create a thriving knowledge economy in our region," Simpson said. "Since the founding of the university, Hodgson Russ has been a strong and steadfast partner in realizing our vision for this community -- from the active engagement of our many dedicated UB alumni and university friends there who give so generously of their time and talent in support of university programs and activities, to the wise counsel and guidance the firm has lent in helping to advance the UB 2020 vision."

Workshop highlights will include "Enhancing the Economic Development of Buffalo's Inner Harbor through the Use of Virtual Reality." Participants will tour the Buffalo Harbor virtually and discover how the latest 3-D virtual reality-based technologies are being used in planning for the harbor. Presenters/collaborators are from UB's Center for Computational Research, the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation, Bergmann Associates and Parsons Brinckerhoff.

Workshop topics will also include:

• Cultivating Employees through a Systemic Framework: Career Pathways

• How to Get Student Volunteers for Your Organization

• Leveraging UB Faculty and Student Expertise to "Reach Others" in Haiti

• Innovation's Impact: Discovering the Value of University-Industry Collaboration

• Reaching Out: UB and the Entrepreneur

• Best Practices of Successful Internship Programs

• Partnering with UB -- An Introduction: How to Leverage Shared Interests for Sustainable Partnerships

• Enhancing the Economic Development of Buffalo's Inner Harbor through the Use of Virtual Reality

• From Start up to Company: Entrepreneurial Assistance at UB

• Go to Market Strategy: How the School of Management is Helping Businesses

• Doing Business with UB

• Health Rankings and Cost Benefits: How UB's Work Impacts the Health of Western New York

• UB and the Future of Health Care Education

• E-Design Gets You to Market Faster, Cheaper and More Efficiently

• Partnering with UB Can Boost Your Bottom Line

• Scorecards: How Does Your Business Measure Up

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system and its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB's more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.