Buffalo still leading in Top 100 presence, but Amherst makes big gains. (Buffalo, New York; Amherst, New York; Western New York's top 100 private companies)

Ask Jordan Levy what sparked his company's stunning rise, and you'll get a surprising answer.

"Luck. A lot of luck," he says. "Luck and the sheer hard work of 400 people at UCA allowed us to capitalize on our opportunities."

UCA is shorthand for Upgrade Corporation of America, a Buffalo company that markets software for worldwide computer giants such as IBM Corp., Apple Computer and Microsoft Corp. Annual sales soared 601 percent in just two years -- from $11.1 million in 1991 to $77.7 million in 1993.

"We were fortunate enough to be in the fastest-growing segment of the computer industry, which is itself growing fast," says Levy, Upgrade's president. "We were in the right place at the right time; it's that simple."

Roger Arnold is another Western New York CEO who knows the value of combining hard work with good fortune. His investment firm, Empire Financial Services …