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The BNP Grow leadership development fall cohort celebrated its graduation on Nov. 25 at BNP @ the cobblestone.

The five-session introductory program set participants on a growth path to leadership, giving them the essential professional skills and knowledge they need to thrive. With enhanced content and curriculum thanks to a new partnership with Niagara University, employees were provided opportunities to gain insight into their unique value as well as better understand how to navigate the workplace for success.

Cohort #2 included 25 graduates from these 16 organizations: Erie County Industrial Development Agency, Excelsior Orthopaedics, Forest Lawn Cemetery & Crematory Group, Harter Secrest & Emery LLP, Josh W. Danforth Co, Lawley Insurance, Mower, National Fuel Gas Company, Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, NOCO, NYSEG, Peerless, Inc., Seneca Gaming Corporation, Servotronics, Inc., University at Buffalo School of Management and Uniland Development Company.

BNP Grow's spring cohort starts in February 2026. Click here to learn more →

What BNP Grow graduates had to say:

Tom Alloco
Operations Manager
NOCO

"Since starting the program, I was promoted a couple weeks ago. I honestly feel like applying what I learned here helped me push myself and stay determined. If I can pass that on to the next person – help them learn more about themselves so they can become the next best version of themselves – then that’s great. It becomes a cycle."

Ann Gooding
Lease Administration Supervisor
Uniland Development Company

"For me, with no prior management experience, it was a perfect first step. But it could also help someone mid-career who has some experience but wants to sharpen skills. It helps people understand their weaknesses, build on their strengths and recognize how they interact with others."

"It connects you with people who are in similar situations. You can almost always find someone dealing with similar challenges – whether it’s company size, team size or specific management situations. Even if the situations differ, you’ll find commonalities. Beyond that, it improves communication in both professional and personal settings. There’s a lot of self-reflection that happens between sessions. Every time I left a session, I’d drive home thinking, 'What can I do with my team to communicate better or be more approachable?' That reflection alone helped me grow."

Diane Passenant
Engineering & Systems Manager
Peerless, Inc.

"I really liked having different speakers each session. Each person brought a different perspective and their own specialty. It created variety, and even if you didn’t fully connect with one speaker, the next session offered something new. I enjoyed that a lot."

"I went into this thinking, 'What skills can I gain?' But I left feeling like I learned far more about myself than I expected."