Thomas Ulbrich Email & Phone Number

Buffalo, New York, Us

Chief Energy OfficerHelping people prepare for, find, and keep good jobs is what Goodwill is all about. It’s the motivation behind everything we do. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to earn wages and achieve their dreams.At Goodwill, we believe that work is the key, essential factor in the ability of people to achieve desirable life outcomes. With it comes independence, pride, self-esteem, and sense of purpose. We give people, "a hand up, not a hand out." Goodwill’s programs and services help job seekers access the training and support they need. We are driven by working to imagine a good way to a better future by helping to build a region where it's easy for hiring employers to fill jobs, where residents of color experience equitable economic mobility, and where underemployed individuals connect with higher-paying careers. Our work is supported by a social innovation model that turns generous donations of gently used clothing and wares from our community into real dollars through our retail thrift stores. Those dollars are then invested into our workforce training initiatives such as Goodskills Career Builder.

Buffalo, Ny, Us

Buffalo, Ny, Us

Responsible for the overarching direction of Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation Initiatives, which includes UB Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (CEL), Blackstone LaunchPad Powered by Techstars at UB, and the Social Innovation Collaboration with the School of Social Work. A cross-school role that provides flexible, startup leadership for social innovation initiatives and help to further connections to our existing entrepreneurial initiatives across campus.

Buffalo, New York, Us

Buffalo, Ny, Us

Bio:Tom provides strategic oversight of the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (CEL) and works to advance the center's mission of invigorating the Western New York economy and community through entrepreneurial development. As one of our community's most passionate advocates for small business, and a business owner himself, Tom intimately understands the incredible significance of entrepreneurship to our economy and culture.Under Ulbrich's direction, the CEL has expanded its sophisticated interdisciplinary approach to educating emerging business leaders centered on best and next practices. The CEL has been recognized multiple times as one of the Top 100 Small Business Influencers in North America for promoting business growth through leadership development and experiential learning, enhancing the management abilities of business leaders and building new business relationships through an expanded network of contacts.Ulbrich has a long history of involvement with the CEL, graduating from the Core program in 2003, serving as a Core reactor, coach for Panasic TEC and on CEL's advisory board. He received an Executive MBA from the School of Management in 2006.Ulbrich has dedicated his personal and professional work to small business advocacy. He is a member of the National Federation for Independent Business's Leadership Trust and a frequent speaker on topics concerning the importance of small business and entrepreneurship to the vitality of the American economy. In 2013, Ulbrich was named Small Business Advocate of the Year by the Amherst Chamber of Commerce (one of the country's largest suburban chambers).Prior to joining UB, Ulbrich was CEO of two businesses and remains active in an advisory capacity to Mow More Supplies, a company that he founded that is a national distributor of commercial mower replacement parts.

Buffalo, Ny, Us

MGO660 - Entrepreneurship - New Venture Creation and MGO695 - Foundations for Entrepreneurship are consistently ranked by students as "course is among the best"

Buffalo, Ny, Us

CEL is Taking Care of Business! Supporting the power of businesses to unlock human potential, create jobs, inspire wealth and invigorate the greater Western New York economy and community through entrepreneurial development. The Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership has over 1,400 alumni, 400 volunteer mentors and provides learning opportunities across a continuum of entrepreneurial environments.Accountable for: strategic planning and execution | P&L management and budgeting | business development | team development | public speaking, media and press relations | small business advocacy and legislative relations | alumni relations and engagement | community relations and engagement | university engagement | developing collaborative and strategic partnerships | sponsorship and grants | customer loyalty | board relations

Buffalo, Ny, Us

Blackstone LaunchPad is funded by the Blackstone Charitable Foundation's Entrepreneurial Initiative that is designed to stimulate economic development and job growth by building and supporting entrepreneurial ecosystems across the United States and globally. Blackstone LaunchPad at UB is located on the second floor of the student union and is an experiential campus program designed to introduce entrepreneurship as a viable career path. The program provides students with the resources needed to transform their ideas into viable, thriving enterprises. First implemented in 2010, the Blackstone LaunchPad program now includes 18 colleges and universities across the United States and 3 universities abroad. The network includes 500,000 students globally.

Sold business 11/2019. My current role is focused solely on consulting long range business strategy (not involved in day-to-day operations) after successfully exiting in 11/2019. Mow More Landscape Supplies is a national e-Commerce company that focuses on helping commercial lawn care maintenance businesses by providing high quality commercial lawn mower blades and replacement parts via a convenient on-line e-Commerce platform. We partner with our customers by being a trusted resource of industry related information on operations, profitability, growth strategy and marketing.

Nashville, Tennessee, Us

An elected volunteer leadership position at the New York State National Federation of Independent Business in Albany, NY. Worked closely with the state director, staff and council to help steer the organization's advocacy program while assisting in efforts to identify, prioritize and bring small-business issues to the attention of state and federal legislators. Continue to be a long time NFIB member and an active member of the state leadership council.

Received multiple party endorsements as first time pro-business candidate for public office, Erie County Legislator (formerly District 5). A great experience that helped me build relationships with legislators across all political parties at the local, state and federal levels of government. These relationships continue to help me carry the voice of small business to our elected officials.

Responsible for profitable growth of three divisions to become one of the largest commercial landscape design-build and commercial landscape maintenance operations in Western New York. Accountable for general management, sales, marketing, business development, budgeting, P&L management, strategy and team development.

Master Of Business Administration (M.B.A.), Business Administration And Management

Circular Economy And Sustainability Strategies Credential, Business Administration, Management And Operations

Professional Innovation Advisor Certification, Innovation And Creative Problem Solving

Certificate Program Components, Family Business Advising

Certification Training, Strategic Planning

Certified Instructor, The Basadur Creative Problem Solving Profile

Net Promoter Certified Associate, Nps Score

Certificates, Creative Problem Sovling And Applied Creativity

Certificate - Total Leadership Connections: For Leaders Who Dare To Be Authentic, Advanced Leadership

Certificate Program, Coaching & Building Innovative Organizations

Certificates, Public Speaking & Effective Communication

Extensive Credit Bearing Courses, Business/Managerial Economics

Certificate, Business

A.A.S., Ornamental Horticulture/Landscape Development