Release Date:  January 24, 2008
Contact:  Kathy Popielski, popielskik@trocaire.edu
716-821-1210, Ext. 1006


BUFFALO, N.Y. – Trocaire College celebrated the opening of its new extension site, the Russell J. Salvatore School of Hospitality & Business, with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting on January 24.  Located at 6681 Transit Road in Lancaster, NY, the 7,000 square foot facility houses a 1,000 square foot kitchen for culinary art instruction, a high-tech computer network lab, several classrooms, faculty offices, and a student resource center.

Dr. Paul B. Hurley, Jr., Trocaire College president, and Russell J. Salvatore, founder of Salvatore’s Italian Gardens Restaurant, presided over the official ribbon-cutting festivities.  President Hurley gave open and closing remarks.  Other speakers were Russell J. Salvatore, founder of Salvatore’s Italian Gardens, Edward “Mike” Flynn, Trustee & Director of Grants Committee, The Statler Foundation, John A. Vecchio, Executive Director for Institutional Advancement, Trocaire College, and Jeannette Lane, Trocaire Hospitality student.

“This is truly a great day for Trocaire,” said Hurley.  “I can’t think of a better way to celebrate 50 years of education and career preparation than to christen our first extension site.”  “We’ve been a quiet giant in South Buffalo and now we’re expanding our reach to Lancaster, near the center of where many of our students live…it’s good to grow,” continued Hurley.  Trocaire College was chartered in 1958 with an enrollment of young religious women preparing to be educators.  The college has continued to grow over the past fifty years in an effort to meet the needs of the community.

“This wonderful facility is possible because Russ Salvatore is a man with a plan and a vision,” noted President Hurley.  “He’s spent his life celebrating good food and gracious living and his gift to the next generation of hospitality professionals is this building and his close relationship with Trocaire.”  Russell Salvatore has donated the Transit Road facility as part of Trocaire College’s Inspire Hope Capital Campaign.  With receipt of this building, and Salvatore’s previous $100,000 campaign gift, Trocaire College has surpassed its original $3.5 million capital campaign goal.  Upon receiving this gift, Capital Campaign Chairman Anthony N. Diina stated, “Russ Salvatore’s generosity has made possible a hospitality and business facility that will enhance the education of countless students and professors.  This new site will provide the latest and most sophisticated hands-on learning environment needed by today’s college students.”

In addition to Salvatore, The Statler Foundation was recognized for their generous gift that will provide scholarships to disadvantaged students in Western New York.  This gift will have a positive impact on the future of students in Trocaire’s Hospitality Management Program.  A plaque, recognizing the continued support of The Statler Foundation, is displayed in the foyer of the newly constructed facility.

Trocaire College is a private, two-year college offering associate degree and certificate programs in over a dozen areas of study including hospitality, business, healthcare and technology.  The main Trocaire campus is located in Buffalo at 360 Choate Avenue.