716-285-9141

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Chamber Honors
Chamber Honors 2015: Faisal Merani as Business Person of the Year

Chamber Honors 2015: Faisal Merani as Business Person of the Year

Niagara USA Chamber President & CEO Deanna Alterio Brennen & Faisal Merani, 2015 Business Person of the Year

Niagara USA Chamber President & CEO Deanna Alterio Brennen & Faisal Merani, 2015 Business Person of the Year


You can find Faisal Merani in the headlines with words like redevelopment and hope. He was born and raised in Niagara Falls, Ontario. He attended local schools his entire life while learning the family business in the hotel indsutry. The Niagara USA Chamber is recognizing his lifelong dedication.

Merani made his first mark on the area when Merani Hotel Group acquired the Days Inn & Suites at the top of Clifton Hill in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Then in 2005, the Holiday Inn Niagara Falls gave park visitors on the American side a family-friendly hotel in the heart of the city. In 2007, the Sterling Inn & Spa welcomed its first guests, marking the beginning of a new chapter for a renovated local landmark in Ontario. Four years later, the Four Points by Sheraton Niagara Falls, NY opened. With a vision for the future of Niagara Falls, Faisal has expanded Merani Hotel Group while never losing sight of the prosperity and growth of the region as a whole.

The Holiday Inn Niagara Falls is currently undergoing a series of renovations including a Tony Roma’s franchise restaurant as well as a two-story arcade. The Doubletree by Hilton in downtown Niagara Falls, NY is set to open Spring of 2016. This project promises more than 50 new positions to be filled by neighbors and friends living in the Niagara region.

Faisal Merani accepts honor of 2015 Business Person of the Year

Faisal Merani accepts honor of 2015 Business Person of the Year


The Niagara USA Chamber is recognizing Faisal Merani’s leadership and dedication as the Business Person of the Year.

Other honorees include;
Aquarium of Niagara – Special Recognition
Seneca Niagara Gaming Corporation – National Grid Green Manufacturing Award
Molly Anderson – Father Joseph L. Levesque Award for Community Advocacy
Trek, Inc. – Industry Insider Award
Lockport Ice Rink & Sports Arena – Groundbreaking Award
Yahoo! – Business of the Year

Chamber Honors 2015: Lockport Ice Rink & Sports Arena with Groundbreaking Award

Chamber Honors 2015: Lockport Ice Rink & Sports Arena with Groundbreaking Award

John Ottaviano accepts 2015 Groundbreaking Award for Lockport Ice Rink & Sports Arena

John Ottaviano accepts 2015 Groundbreaking Award for Lockport Ice Rink & Sports Arena


What was once an empty grocery store and eyesore is now a state of the art ice arena and sports training facility. What was once a dangerous hangout for children is now a place where children can build character and to learn good sportsmanship. It took 10 years of planning and dedicated community volunteers to make the Lockport Ice Arena and Sports Center a reality.
Some of the dedicated community advocates behind Lockport Ice Rink & Sports Arena

Some of the dedicated community advocates behind Lockport Ice Rink & Sports Arena


Now named the Cornerstone CFCU Arena, this 93,500 square foot facility offers the region a high quality hockey, skating, and training experience. It has two NHL-size rinks, seating for approximately 630 and a community room. It operates by the mission of the nonprofit that founded it with programs that also combat juvenile delinquency, promote social welfare, physical fitness and more.

The arena is expected to attract over 150,000 individuals and create a demand for over 4,500 hotel rooms annually, leading to new businesses and new jobs. It will also be a venue for job training as the concessions area will be run by the YWCA Catering Crew, a social enterprise dedicated to helping women become economically self-sufficient.

The Niagara USA Chamber recognizes the dedication it took for the Lockport Ice Rink and Sports Arena with the 2015 Groundbreaking Award.
Other honorees include;
Aquarium of Niagara – Special Recognition
Seneca Niagara Gaming Corporation – National Grid Green Manufacturing Award
Molly Anderson – Father Joseph L. Levesque Award for Community Advocacy
Trek, Inc. – Industry Insider Award
Faisal Merani – Business Person of the Year
Yahoo! – Business of the Year

Niagara USA Chamber to Honor Business Excellence This Friday

Niagara Falls, NY – The Niagara USA Chamber is preparing to celebrate businesses and business people making a difference in the Niagara region. The Chamber Honors 2015 Gala will be held on Friday, February 27, 2015 at the Seneca Niagara Casino and Hotel Event Center. Among the award winners, Yahoo! will be honored as Business of the Year, Faisal Merani as Business Person of the Year and Lockport Ice Rink & Sports Center, Inc. for its groundbreaking success.

Niagara USA President & CEO Deanna Alterio Brennen explains, “Every year I am fortunate to learn more about our members and their tremendous contributions to our community and their respective industries. The caliber of talent and dedication is something the entire membership is proud to showcase.”

Yahoo! has shown its dedication to the area through its expansion. Yahoo! employs over 200 people in Niagara County. The Lockport campus houses a Data Center, Customer Care Center of Excellence, the Global Operations Center, and the Global Service Desk. In October 2013, Yahoo! invested over $170M to expand and created over 100 new jobs across engineering, technology, and customer care fields.

Faisal Merani’s commitment to the area is a main reason why he is being recognized as Business Person of the Year. Merani Hotel Group made its mark by acquiring hotels on both sides of the border. Merani’s vision for the future of Niagara Falls includes renovations to the Holiday Inn Niagara Falls and a Doubletree by Hilton set to open in 2016.

Lockport Ice Rink & Sports Center, Inc. will be given the Groundbreaking Award. After 10 years of planning by dedicated community leaders, blight has been replaced with a 93,500 square foot, state-of-the-art ice arena and sports training facility. The arena is expected to attract over 150,000 individuals and create a demand for over 4,500 hotel rooms annually, leading to new businesses.

TREK will be honored with the Industry Insider Award. Their success led them to move headquarters and manufacturing operations to the refurbished Harrison site in Lockport in late 2013 increasing employment.

Molly Anderson will be recognized with the Father Joseph L. Levesque Award for Community Advocacy for her work on leadership development as Executive Director of Leadership Niagara.

Seneca Niagara Gaming Corporation will be given the National Grid Green Manufacturing Award for completing a multi-million dollar energy efficiency project that resulted in significant reductions in energy usage, while enhancing the guest’s experience.

The Aquarium of Niagara will also receive a special recognition celebrating their 50th anniversary.

The event begins at 6 p.m. with a cocktail reception followed by a sit down dinner and award ceremony at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $120 per person for members and $135 per person for non-members. Reservations can be made by contacting Maria Cardamone at 285-9142 or mcardamone [at] niagarachamber [dot] org.

716-285-9141