BUFFALO, NY/FORT ERIE, ON Today the Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority (PBA) announced that Mr. Anthony M. Annunziata and Mr. William B. “Sam” Hoyt III have been elected chairman and vice chairman of its board of directors.

 

“I’m pleased to resume the chairmanship during such an exciting time for the Authority,” said PBA Chairman Anthony Annunziata. “The recent success of the U.S. plaza approach widening effort, along with the continued progress on the renovation of the U.S. Customs Commercial Secondary Building, will result in tangible improvements to the way our border crossing functions. This next year even more positive projects are on the horizon to help mitigate traffic congestion.”

 

Annunziata enters his fifth term as chairman and ninth year of service on the PBA board of directors. He was appointed to the board by the Government of Canada in January 2007. Annunziata is the Vice President of Marketing for the Marriott Fallsview Hotel and Spa, and the Marriott Gateway on the Falls, both of Niagara Falls, Ontario. He has an extensive background in advertising, strategic marketing, and international tourism.

 

Hoyt is now serving his third term as vice chairman. He was appointed to the board in August 2011 as the representative of New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Joan McDonald. Hoyt is currently the Regional President for Regional Economic Development for Empire State Development Corporation (ESD). Prior to joining ESD, he served for almost 20 years as the Assembly representative for the 144th Assembly District located in Western New York. Hoyt resides in the City of Buffalo and is a graduate of Buffalo State College.

 

The PBA is governed by a ten-member board, consisting of five members from New York State and five members from Canada.

 

The Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority, a binational authority, has owned and operated the Peace Bridge since 1933. The bridge, which was opened to traffic in 1927, spans the Niagara River between Fort Erie, Ontario, and Buffalo, New York, and is a key international border crossing. The Authority is governed by a 10 member board with an equal number of representatives from Canada and the United States.

 

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