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Welcome to Statler Center

Diane Michels Welcome to the National Statler Center for Careers in Hospitality Service (a program of Olmsted Center for the Visually Impaired, a unique and exciting concept in hospitality employment training that provides physically disabled individuals and those who are blind or visually impaired with the right tools for successful careers in a rapidly growing industry. Hotel operations. Travel and tourism. Sales and marketing. How may we be of service to you?

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A note about the picture: Diane Michels, graduate of Class 24, works at the Holiday Inn Express Buffalo Galleria where she externed during class.

STATLER CENTER GRADUATES TWO MORE CLASSES!

We are excited to report that 2 more classes have graduated this month. 15 people with visual or physical disabilities traveled to Buffalo from as far away as Texas to take advantage of the hospitality and customer service training we conduct here at Statler.

During their externships, students spent time at area hotels, such as The Adams Mark Hotel http://www.adamsmark.com/buffalo to learn the features of a convention-style hotel, and the Buffalo Niagara Convention and Visitors Bureau’s Visitors Center http://www.buffalocvb.org to learn about their important work to bring tourism and meeting business to Buffalo to stay at hotels like The Adams Mark.

Statler Center Class 28 Graduation Photo

Class 28
_{From left to right Row 1: Linda Al-Molky, Fairfield, CT; Toni Fraser, North Little Rock, AR. Row 2: Lee "Ziggy" Zigmant, Tonawanda, NY; Mohamed Elhadi, Forth Worth, TX; Marcos Rios, Daytona Beach, FL. Row 3: Nabil Boussag, Buffalo, NY; Doug Oliver, Plano, TX; Dustin Atkins, Winooski, VT.}

Class 3
_{From left to right Row 1: Donna Bickert, Cheektowaga, NY; Francoise Hakizimana, Amherst, NY. Row 2: Maria Heinlein, Tonawanda, NY; Susan Black, Buffalo, NY. Row 3: Gary Carter, Buffalo, NY. Row 4: Brian Ackerman, Kenmore, NY; Donna Richardson, Buffalo, NY.}

GENERAL MANAGER DAVE CARROLL MASTER OF CEREMONIES FOR GRADUATION ON NOVEMBER 13TH

Holiday Inn General Manager Dave Carroll

GM Dave Carroll, of the Holiday Inn Downtown, was the Master of Ceremonies at the graduation ceremony of Statler’s 28^th Class and STEP's 3^rd Class in November. Recently, Dave Carroll was named the General Manager of the Holiday Inn Downtown location following the retirement of Harry Flak, a long-time supporter of the Statler Center.

As the Holiday Inn Downtown has become home for many Statler graduates as they attend the 10 week long program, it was exciting to have him meet the graduating class and their visitors.

STATLER CENTER RECEIVES $422,740 FOR NEW PROGRAM FROM LAVELLE FUND FOR THE BLIND!Statler Center was awarded $422,740 from Lavelle Fund for the Blind, Inc. This money will allow Statler Center to train and work with disabled people more strategically (as opposed to finding one job at a time).

In this model, job placement will actually be “front-loaded” through the development of corporate relationships with businesses that have shown commitment to hiring the disabled, have positions available, and are willing to partner in advance with Statler Center for training and job placement.

For example, a large airline company is said to be hiring hundreds of employees in the next year in its reservations and customer service areas. Using the currently proposed strategy, Statler Center would seek to contract with this airline to tailor train an agreed upon number of sight-impaired and physically disabled individuals to assume such positions pending successful graduation from the program.
This is an outstanding opportunity for our agency and our future students!