Three industry experts join the SEAS Dean's Advisory Council

By Peter Murphy

“I am grateful to George, Steve and Chris for sharing their time and expertise as the newest members of the council,” says Kemper Lewis, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. “Their perspective as leaders of a wide-range of technology-driven organizations is invaluable, and I look forward to working with them in their new roles.”

Grobe (PhD ’89, MA ‘86) returns to the Council after having served as member from 2014 - 2016. He is the vice president of research and development for Vision Care and Surgical Products, Bausch + Lomb, a division of Valeant Pharmaceuticals. Grobe has a PhD in Biophysics from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, an MA in Analytical Chemistry from the University at Buffalo and a BS in Chemistry from Stonehill College. 

Krenzer earned his BS in Industrial Engineering from the University at Buffalo in 1984 and worked as an engineer for about a decade before moving to general management. He has held several CEO and other C-suite positions throughout his career, and is currently the CFO at Alkuri Global Acquisition Corp. 

Wan is the founder of Dyno Group, Inc., a commercial construction firm, where he oversees all phases of the company’s functions, including project management, site supervision, business development, finance and more. He serves as a mentor for UB’s Minority & Emerging Entrepreneurs program and Say Yes Buffalo. He has a BS in Finance and Economics from New York University (NYU) and is a graduate of the UB School of Management’s Minority and Women Emerging Entrepreneurs program. Wan also earned a graduate certificate in construction project management from NYU’s Schack Institute of Real Estate.  

Grobe, Krenzer and Wan join the Dean’s Advisory Council as three of its current members, Patrick Abrami, Jeff Markin and Sue Nowicki, rotate off.

“I want to thank Patrick, Jeff and Sue for their contributions and exceptional advice and guidance over the years,” Lewis says. “Their impact as council members will continue to be felt for years to come.”

Abrami (BS ’72, MS ’75) served on the Council for a decade. He spent over 30 years with Applied Management Systems (AMS) and participated in or managed projects for over 400 clients in 30 states. Abrami maintains a consulting practice where he is responsible for information systems, performance improvement and FTE benchmarking. He has continuously maintained his connection to UB, serving as a technical specialist in the Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs and on the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering Advisory Board. He is also a representative in the New Hampshire state legislator, where he has served since 2010.

Markin joined the board in 2019. A graduate of UB, he earned his BS in Industrial Engineering in 1980. Markin also earned his MBA from the University of Rochester, William E. Simon Graduate School of Business, and is the CEO at eHealth Technologies. Prior to his current role, he served in C-suite positions with multiple organizations. Markin spent 26 years at Eastman Kodak in manufacturing, research and development, product-line management, and regional and divisional general management. 

Nowicki has served as a council member for nine years and is the director of engineering at Northrop Grumman Amherst Systems, the world’s fourth largest defense contractor. She has over 30 years of experience designing and developing systems for the U.S. military and its allies. Nowicki holds bachelor’s degrees in Computer Science and Mathematics from the State University of New York at Geneseo and an MBA from Cornell University. 

The Dean’s Advisory Council will reconvene for its next bi-annual meeting in fall of 2022.