The Department of Accounting at Canisius University is proud to announce the 66th Annual Accounting Banquet on Thursday, April 27, 2023. The banquet will be held at Salvatore's Italian Gardens, 6461 Transit Road, Depew, NY, with cocktails starting at 5:30 p.m. followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets are limited, so please RSVP by Friday, April 14, 2023. If you have any questions, contact Kimberly Walkow at 716-888-2160 or email @email.
Awards
The Bradley J. Shelp Memorial Award
Elizabeth Hertz
The New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants Awards
Jay Henley
Elizabeth Hertz
John T. Kennedy Memorial Award
Collin Rice
Tala Abu-Ghazaleh International Award for Excellence in Graduate Accounting Programs
Myles Hervey
Accounting Society Award for Excellence in Scholarship in the Undergraduate Accounting Program
Elizabeth Hertz
Accounting Society Award for Excellence in Scholarship in the Undergraduate Accounting Information Systems Program
Jay Henley
The Dr. Joseph R. Coppola ’40 Award
Michael A. Ervolina, Jr. '79
Accounting Society Award to an Outstanding Accountant in Western New York
Angel Beiter '88
The Dr. Joseph R. Coppola '40 Award
Michael A. Ervolina, Jr. '79, CPA
President and CEO, Valu Home Centers
Michael A. Ervolina Jr., a Buffalo native, graduated from Canisius University in 1979 with a BS in accounting. While at Canisius, Mike was active in numerous extracurricular activities, played for the Varsity football team and was a Resident Assistant at Bosch Hall.
In 1980, Mike was hired by Price Waterhouse and was one of the few Canisius graduates to be employed by one of the “Big 8” accounting firms. At Price Waterhouse, Mike earned his CPA and was promoted to the position of Senior Accountant.
In 1984, Mike joined his family business, Valu Home Centers, Inc., a Buffalo based regional chain as a Vice President of Finance and Administration.
From 1984 – 1996, Mike handled all aspects of accounting, finance and administration and was influential in the company’s growth from 11 stores to the 33 stores they operate today. In 1996, Mike was promoted to the position of President and was named Chief Executive Officer in 2015. Today he oversees an operation, which includes over 800 employees with locations in Western New York, Central New York and Northwest Pennsylvania. This year marks the companies 55th year of operation for the family owned business. Valu also owns 26 of its plazas, and Mike oversees a large commercial real estate portfolio.
He is involved in numerous civic activities both personally and through his company. Mike was instrumental in organizing company-wide charitable events that raised over $3,000,000 to benefit Habitat for Humanity, The Salvation Army, Kids Escaping Drugs, and Make A Wish Foundation. Valu Home Centers was recognized in 2012 with the Corporate Citizen Award from the Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity. In 2013, Kids Escaping Drugs dedicated the new Renaissance House to Mike and Valu Home Centers. In 2018 Mike and his wife, Ann Marie, were recognized by Kids Escaping Drugs as Persons of the Year. Mike is also a trustee for the family charitable trust which has made significant grants to organizations focused on law enforcement, education, the homeless and food banks.
Mike is a past Trustee for the Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo where he served on the Executive Committee and Chairman of the Audit Committee. He is a member of the Bishop's Council of the Laity, and a member of Brookfield Country Club, where he was a board member and the club’s past president.
A past member of the Board of Trustees of Canisius University, Mike chaired the Audit, Finance and Facilities committees. He is also past Chair of the Board of Regents at the college. Mike annually attends the Regents Ball and is a long time member of the Canisius Leadership Society. He was inducted into the Canisius DiGamma Honor Society in 2012. In 2015, he was inducted into the Beta Gama Sigma Honor Society, which recognizes business excellence. In 2018, he was the recipient of the Canisius University Distinguished Alumni Award. Mike is the treasurer of the Our Lady of Miracles Society, the largest Italian-American religious organization in Western New York.
Mike married the former Ann Marie Pleto, a Canisius graduate. They have four adult children and reside in Clarence, New York. Mike enjoys golf, traveling and vacationing with family at his favorite location, Siesta Key, Florida.
The Accountant of the Year Award
Angel Beiter '88, CPA
Principal, Kirisits and Associates CPA's PLLC
Angel (Guercio) Beiter ‘88 is a principal at Kirisits & Associates CPAs PLLC, where she provides CFO services to various non-profit organizations throughout Western New York. She began her career at Arthur Young as both a tax and audit associate. In 1991, she joined the privately held bio-medical start up AirSep Corporation, as corporate controller. Angel then spent the next 22 years as part of AirSep’s leadership team, which culminated in the role of vice president of finance. After the sale of AirSep to Chart Industries, Angel spent the next five years as the division controller for the Bio Med Division of Chart.
A member of the Di Gamma Honor Society and Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society, Angel has served on the Canisius University Council on Accountancy since 1997. She served as chair of the Council from 2020-22 and is past chair of the Council’s committees on Student Recruitment and Diversity, as well as Accounting Experience.
Angel actively volunteers her time as a lector, member of the Endowment Board and as chair of the Finance Committee at St. Amelia Church. She serves on the Board of the Catholic Cemeteries, where she is a past Board Chair. She has also served as the Board Chair for the Susan G. Komen Foundation and as chair of the Western New York Race for the Cure. She was a member of the Crisis Services Board, as well as a member of the Greater Niagara Frontier Council of the Boy Scouts Audit Committee.
Angel’s volunteer leadership has been recognized by the Susan G. Komen organization with multiple awards: Cameo, Love, and Volunteer of the Year. Angel has been recognized by St. Amelia as Volunteer of the Year, and earned a place on Business First’s lists of “40 Under 40” and Women of Influence.
Angel and her husband Sean ‘88 were married at Christ the King Chapel at Canisius University just two weeks after graduation. They live in Amherst and have four sons: Patrick, Andy ’15, Ryan and Daniel. The family enjoys doting on their husky, Ruth, attending the theater and traveling, especially to Hawaii.
