The Niagara USA Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to unveil the recipients of the prestigious 2024 Niagara USA Chamber Honors Awards. These esteemed individuals and businesses have exhibited remarkable dedication, innovation, and commitment to the advancement of the Niagara community.
The awards ceremony will take place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Niagara Falls, located at 401 Buffalo Ave, on May 9th, 2024. This event will serve as an evening of recognition, shining a spotlight on the outstanding achievements of our award winners and their profound impact on our beloved region.
The distinguished 2024 Niagara USA Chamber Award recipients are as follows:
Business of the Year: Niagara Falls Center for Tourism
Honoring the success of the Niagara Falls Center for Tourism in promoting tourism and fostering economic growth in Niagara Falls. The Center brings together the best of Niagara Falls into a single, captivating location. With its mesmerizing views, live entertainment, a variety of culinary menus, the unique “Links Caddy” golfing experience, state of the art Vortex VR arcade and the spectacular new outdoor patio, the facility promises an unforgettable experience for visitors of all ages and interests.
Business Person of the Year: Muhammad Shoaib
Recognizing the exemplary leadership, visionary acumen, and transformative contributions of restauranteur Muhammad Shoaib to the Niagara business landscape. Mr. Shoaib currently owns 15 restaurants under different brands. He has spearheaded numerous successful ventures, including the A&W Restaurant, Moe’s in Niagara Falls and Crumbl Cookies in the Town of Niagara, among others and has plans fore even more projects.
Groundbreaking Award: Rainbow Air
Celebrating Rainbow Air for literally breaking ground on its groundbreaking initiative in constructing a state-of-the-art helicopter hangar and year-round tourism center. This innovative endeavor promises to offer visitors an entirely new and unforgettable experience, elevating tourism in our region to unprecedented heights.
Father Joseph L. Levesque Award for Community Advocacy: David Kinyon
Commending David Kinyon for his unwavering dedication, advocacy, and steadfast support of Lockport and Niagara County. Kinyon has worked in the community development and economic development fields for 43 years. One only needs to look out over the historic Flight of Five or the Lock Tenders Monument to see what Mr. Kinyon’s passion has achieved. He is constantly working to enhance the vibrancy and resilience of the community. David also served as President of the predecessor to the Niagara USA Chamber, the Eastern Niagara Chamber of Commerce
Green Initiative Award sponsored by National Grid: Greenpac Mill
Applauding Greenpac Mill for its exemplary commitment to environmental sustainability and leadership in implementing green initiatives, setting a shining example for responsible corporate citizenship.
Collaboration and Innovation Award: Dante Richardson
Recognizing Dante Richardson for his exceptional dedication to fostering collaboration and driving innovation, thereby contributing significantly to the growth and prosperity in the Niagara region. Among his successes was bringing a college-level course to Niagara Falls High School. The school is offering, in partnership with Stanford University and Pipedreamers (a startup app providing Ivy League-level resources to underserved communities co-founded by Richardson) a Stanford University-level introduction to computer science course. This is the first program of its kind where Stanford offers dual-credit courses for technology.
Excellence in Leadership Award: Leadership Niagara
Recognizing Leadership Niagara for its steadfast commitment to nurturing effective leadership and driving positive change within our community. As Leadership Niagara celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, we commend its unparalleled success in building and empowering leaders who have made significant contributions to the Niagara region over the past four decades. Through its comprehensive leadership development programs, Leadership Niagara has equipped countless individuals with the skills, knowledge, and network needed to address the challenges and opportunities facing our community.
Niagara USA Chamber Chairman’s Award: Dr. William Murabito
Dr. William Murabito will receive the esteemed Niagara USA Chamber Chairman’s Award in recognition of his exemplary leadership, unwavering dedication, and profound contributions to Niagara Community College, now SUNY Niagara. While Dr. Murabito’s current tenure as President of SUNY Niagara will be ending his visionary leadership has significantly advanced educational opportunities and community engagement and transformed the college.
“We are immensely proud to honor these exceptional individuals and businesses for their outstanding contributions to the Niagara community,” remarked Kory Schuler, President and CEO of the Niagara USA Chamber of Commerce. “Their unwavering commitment, innovative spirit, and visionary leadership serve as beacons of inspiration, guiding us towards a brighter and more prosperous future. We eagerly anticipate celebrating their remarkable achievements at the upcoming awards dinner.”
The Niagara USA Chamber of Commerce extends its heartfelt congratulations to all the award recipients and expresses sincere gratitude to the sponsors and supporters whose generosity makes this event possible.
For additional information regarding the 2024 Niagara USA Chamber Awards Dinner and ticket availability, please visit niagarachamber.org or call 716-285-9142