Meet the Staff

Colleen C. DiPirro, President & CEO

The worst economic downturn in business during my lifetime began in 2009. Even though the Buffalo Niagara region was not hit as hard as many parts of the country, we still experienced the trickle down impact of tightened access to credit, decreases in consumer purchasing and increases in governmental fees for services. While 2010 showed minimal periods of recovery, the overall sense of angst continued as businesses, large and small, struggled with the uncertain future. However, troubled by the economy and dim prospects, businesses turned to the Amherst Chamber of Commerce looking for help, and found it!

In 2010 the Amherst Chamber of Commerce increased our membership, increased business investment in the organization, created new initiatives and experienced huge growth in participation in Chamber events, councils and committees.

The Amherst Chamber of Commerce is a unique organization in the Buffalo Niagara Marketplace. We have refined an organizational structure that provides a wide array of business services for the small and medium size businesses that depend on us to grow their prosperity. Simultaneously, we have increased our clout in the region as a result of solidifying our relationship with public officials on both sides of the aisle at the Federal, State and local level. This gives us a 'seat at the table' for discussions on policy that impacts our members.

I want to thank the individuals and firms that recognize the value of their participation in the Chamber and continue to grow our Circle of Influence.

Caitlin Campbell- Director of Advocacy & Communications

Caitlin oversees all communications at the Amherst Chamber of Commerce. She is the staff liaison for the Public Affairs Council as well as the co-liaison for the Emerging Business Leaders. Caitlin also handles day-to-day responsibilites for multiple Pro-Net groups.

She plans and oversees all of the Chamber's signature events including the Annual Luncheon, Small Business Awards Luncheon and Business of the Year Awards Dinner. On the advocacy side, Caitlin keeps an eye on public policy positions and actions happening on all levels of government.

She can be contacted at ccampbell@amherst.org.

Kim Whelan- Director of Member Relations

As director of member relations, Kim works to address the diverse needs of Amherst Chamber members. She handles the full spectrum of member outreach, dealing with initial point-of-contact sales to continued member satisfaction assurance. Kim is responsible for attracting new members and keeping current members engaged in councils, programs and events that benefit their business.

In alignment with her member relations duties, Kim serves as the staff liaison to the Business Resource Council. She's involved in coordinating Pro-Nets as well as establishing host sites for Business After Hours.

Kim can be reached at kwhelan@amherst.org.

Christian Solecki- Insurance Benefits Manager

Christian is the Amherst Chamber's licensed insurance broker. He oversees both the Chamber group insurance and Benefit Solutions. The Amherst Chamber offers all carriers and Christian can meet one-on-one with anyone to discuss their current plan as well as the coverage options they have through the Chamber to determine what is best for them.

He can be contacted at csolecki@amherst.org.

Allison Whalen - Communications Coordinator

Allison is responsible for the upkeep of the Chamber website and electronic communication materials. She designs and creates marketing and membership collateral to promote the Chamber's events and initiatives. Additionally, Allison coordinates the updates and strategic planning for all of the Chamber's social media accounts.

She can be contacted at awhalen@amherst.org.

Amanda Finch - Operations Coordinator

Amanda is tasked with maintaining all of the Chamber's operational functions. In her role as coordinator she manages the membership database for the Amherst Chamber and the Emerging Business Leaders. Amanda tracks member account updates, information accuracy and renewal outreach. She also provides in-house information technology support by coordinating with outside vendors to oversee day-to-day issues.

Amanda can be reached at afinch@amherst.org

Janice Vechhio - Receptionist

Janice greets all of our members whether it's over the phone or when they stop into the Chamber offices for a meeting or council. She also oversees all room rentals in our Suburban Solutions Center.

She can be contacted at jvecchio@amherst.org .

Barbara Wischerath - Bookkeeper

Barbara is the Chamber's part-time bookkeeper and accountant. She is the one to contact with questions on your annual membership dues or quarterly health insurance payments.

She can be contacted at bwischerath@amherst.org

Office Hours:

Labor Day - Memorial Day

Monday - Friday
8:30 am - 5:00 pm

Memorial Day - Labor Day

Monday - Friday

8:30am - 4:00pm