Buffalo News (New York) July 15, 2004 Thursday

Buffalo News (New York) July 15, 2004 Thursday, FINAL EDITION
Copyright 2004 The Buffalo News  
Buffalo News (New York)  July 15, 2004 Thursday, FINAL EDITION
SECTION: NEWS, Pg.A1
HEADLINE: REACHING OUT TO BUSINESS/ GROUP'S PERSONAL TOUCH AIMS TO SWAY DECISIONS/ ON RELOCATION, EXPANSION/
BYLINE: Jay Rey; NEWS STAFF REPORTER
BODY:How do you get companies to come to Buffalo?Ask them.Better yet, get thousands of people to ask.That's the approach a group of local people -- some who have moved here and grown to appreciate what the area has to offer -- is taking as it embarks on a grass-roots campaign to ask companies to consider the Buffalo Niagara region when deciding on places for relocation or expansion. Enclosed with a letter would be a list of Buffalo-area names and signatures -- tens of thousands of them, if possible -- obtained through a Web site and public outreach in the next couple of months.Simple? That's the idea.Can it help? Who knows.But the "We Believe in Buffalo Niagara" campaign is intriguing enough that it has gained support from some strong organizations, including the Kaleida and Catholic health systems, the Buffalo Medical Group, the United Way of Buffalo & Erie County, the Buffalo Niagara Association of Realtors, some local unions and a couple of colleges, for starters."The grass roots is where there's still belief that something can happen," said Lou Jean Fleron, one of the campaign members and director of economic-development initiatives for Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations. "It's the kind of passion and optimism we see missing from leadership, and that's what frustrates people."Discouraged by the region's decades-long doldrums, organizers pitch the campaign as a community effort with involvement from a broad spectrum of Western New York organizations. The effort, though, is actually the brainchild of Dr. Akram S. Talhouk, a surgeon who moved from Long Island to the Buffalo area in 2002. He was smitten with the region -- the warmth of its people, its culture, its beauty -- but also saw the bad economy, the job losses, the population decline, and wondered how the community could help the region bounce back.'They'll rally around'The concept: Send a positive, nonpolitical letter from the Buffalo-area community to several hundred companies with the potential for expansion."Be part of the 'coming back' of Buffalo Niagara," the letter reads. "There is no question in our minds, Buffalo Niagara will regain its standing among the greatest of U.S. regions. The question is, will you and your company be a part of our success story?"Talhouk, whose specialty is general surgery and critical care, got the usual brushoffs and nonresponses as he tried to get the community on board.But the idea resonated with plenty of people, such as John Tobia, district manager for the 11 Home Depot stores in the Buffalo area. Tobia was transferred to Buffalo from Flushing, Queens, six years ago and recently told his vice president that this is where he wants to be for the rest of his career."Give the people something to rally around, and they'll rally around it," Tobia said of the campaign. "We're not asking for any money, just 'if you believe in Buffalo, sign here.' "Organizers are optimistic about the outcome.If the campaign gets attention from even one or two companies, or helps put pressure on elected officials to take more action, it will have achieved its goal. Or even if it simply mobilizes a community to work together for the region.Promoting the Web siteWith thousands of economic-development agencies and Chambers of Commerce out there vying for the same business, Buffalo Niagara Enterprise hopes to meet with organizers to help make sure letters end up in the right hands, said Thomas A. Kucharski, president of the private-public regional marketing campaign.But Kucharski likes the enthusiasm. "Anytime the community wants to get involved, I think it's great," he said.Other participating organizations include: Tops and Wegmans supermarkets; the AFL-CIO; the Buffalo Teachers Federation; Houghton, Trocaire and Erie Community colleges; the Coalition for Economic Justice; Forever Elmwood; the Burchfield-Penney Art Center; Affluere Financial Services; Elmwood Franklin School; and Frederick Law Olmsted academies 56 and 64.Now the group is looking for more backers and volunteers while spreading the word about its Web site: www.believeinbuffaloniagara.org.The group wants to start collecting signatures in earnest by the end of summer, in hopes of sending out letters by fall.The beauty of the campaign is that it gives residents a sense they can do something to help, said Helen Kalota of Local 1168, Communications Workers of America."I think we all have an optimism that things can change here despite the political and economic obstacles," Kalota said. "But everybody always expects someone else to do it or someone else to start it. People are just waiting."