AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS.

Youssef Nasr was keynote speaker at the Niagara University College of Business Administration annual business appreciation dinner. He is president and CEO of HSBC USA Inc. and HSBC Bank USA. The bank was recipient of the university's Corporate Leadership Award. Si Wai Lai accepted the Canadian Business of the Year Award for her business, Niagara-on-the-Lake Vintage Inns, which includes several businesses in the town. The Western New York Business Appreciation Award went to National Fire Adjustment Co. Inc. and was accepted by President and CEO Ronald Papa. Frank Branscombe received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his service to charitable and community service. He is president of the Branscombe Family Foundation and retired from River Realty of Niagara Falls.

Deborah Anders Silverman received the 2000 Oskar Halecki Award from the Polish American Historical Association for her book dealing with the Polish experience in the United States. Silverman, assistant to the president for communications at the University at Buffalo, wrote about Polish-American folklore and how Polish-Americans are adapting the rural peasant folklore of the old country to life in multicultural, urban America.

State Assemblyman Robin Schimminger and Kevin Clarke, vice president and general manager at Quebecor World Buffalo Inc., were honored by the UB Business Alliance for their leadership and help in igniting ideas for economic development in Western New York. Schimminger received the Igniting Ideas, Public Sector Leader Award. Clarke received the Igniting Ideas, Private Sector Leader Award. Both were recognized at a reception Feb. 8 hosted by the UB Business Alliance.

Daniel and Gerald Rott received the nation al Special Achievement Award from the Contractors Network of America for service to the industry. The awards were presented at the national convention, held in Costa Rica last month. Both are employed at William C. Rott & Son Inc., a contractor in Tonawanda.

Sear-Brown received a gold award from the New York Association of Consulting Engineers for a transportation design on a bridge and road reconstruction project in Buffalo. The Rochester-based firm has an office in Buffalo and 17 locations nationwide.

The Erie County Comptroller's Office received the Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada for the 13th consecutive year. The award recognizes excellence in governmental accounting.

Success by 6, a United Way initiative, honored Trudy Mollenberg and Robert Bennett at a ...