BUFFALO, NY – The Canisius Alumni Association will confer its Distinguished Alumni Award upon four graduates of the college on Saturday, September 22. The award recognizes individuals who have made noteworthy contributions in their chosen fields and who, through inspirational leadership, add distinction to their respective professions. The 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award honorees are:
Hon. Acea M. Mosey ’92 – Surrogate Court Judge, Erie County
Hon. Acea M. Mosey Mosey is a surrogate court judge for Erie County. She joined Erie County Surrogate’s Court 8th Judicial District in 2017. Prior to this, Mosey served as a public administrator for more than 12 years in the Surrogate Court, handling cases involving the affairs of decedents. Along with her staff, Mosey’s duties include helping citizens navigate the probate of wills and the administration of estates and trusts. The Surrogate Court also oversees guardianships and adoptions.
Mosey’s continued care for the legal needs of area residents led her to receive the Attorney of the Year Award in 2017, presented by the judges and police executives of Erie County. She is a member of the New York State Bar Association, the Erie County Bar Association and the Women’s Bar Association.
Catherine A. Bolz ’85, MBA ’89 – Global Human Resources Leader, Bloomberg LP
Bolz is a global human resources leader at Bloomberg LP, where she heads benefits for the media company and provides international human resources consulting services to the many business sectors of Bloomberg. As a senior HR partner, her responsibility is also to the lawyers, representing claimants and defendants to provide employment expert witness reports in relation to legal cases.
Bolz has extensive knowledge in the industry. She launched her HR career at Pan American World Airways as a manager in the Pension Planning and Administration Department. She has held positions with Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch and BlackRock Inc. Additionally, she is a member of the advisory board for OutWOMEN in Business, a group focused on enhancing business platforms to inspire women to enter into business professions.
James D. Basil ’85 – President, Joe Basil Chevrolet
Basil is president of Joe Basil Chevrolet, located in Depew, NY, and oversees one of nine stores in the Basil family of car dealerships. His experience in the industry began in the 1990s, cleaning showrooms and detailing cars and continued in the early 2000s with the purchase of the dealership. He runs one of the leading Chevrolet dealers in WNY, which has consistently been ranked among the top 10 dealerships in the nation. Basil was ranked one of the region’s most influential people by Business First.
Michael A. Ervolina ’79 – President, CEO, Valu Home Centers Inc.
Ervolina is president and CEO of Valu Home Centers Inc., a home improvement retail store. A certified public accountant, he joined Valu in 1984 as vice president of finance. He handled all aspects of accounting, finance and administration for the company before his promotion to president in 1996. Ervolina has grown the company from 11 to 41 stores during his career and supports multiple not-for-profits.
Canisius University is one of 28 Jesuit colleges in the nation and the premier private college in Western New York.
