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About Us

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Eric Laine

Erick Laine is the former CEO and Chairman of Cutco Corporation, who passed away in December 2020, at the age of 87. Mr. Laine is known for his remarkable entrepreneurial leadership and generosity in the Olean and greater Cattaraugus County community. The Laine Business Accelerator is funded by the Erick Laine Entrepreneurship Fund, a memorial created after his passing, through the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation (CRCF) and administered by Olean Business Development Corporation (OBDC).

Calm Sea

Mission

Erick Laine is the former CEO and Chairman of Cutco Corporation, who passed away in December 2020, at the age of 87. Mr. Laine is known for his remarkable entrepreneurial leadership and generosity in the Olean and greater Cattaraugus County community. The Laine Business Accelerator is funded by the Erick Laine Entrepreneurship Fund, a memorial created after his passing, through the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation (CRCF) and administered by Olean Business Development Corporation (OBDC).

Core Values

Give First

The accelerator in a phrase - “Give first mentality.” The group aims to eliminate scarcity mindset in business and ignite and foster entrepreneurial spirit, by creating a sustainable business community that gives first to the community.

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Help Others to Fly

The cohort businesses may begin with a goal of individual business growth. However, they grow the most through the community that is formed among everyone in the program. A milestone for one, becomes a milestone for all to celebrate.

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Inspire innovation

New ideas don’t easily spark without a group effort. The LBA Community encourages all forms of innovation, the more out of the box idea, the better. The cohort members bounce ideas off of one another and create solutions to each other's challenges that they may not have come up with otherwise.

Community Impact

Videos

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This is a great space to update your audience with a description of your video. Include information like what the video is about, who produced it, where it was filmed, and why it’s a must-see for viewers. Remember this is a showcase for your professional work, so be sure to use intriguing language that engages viewers and invites them to sit back and enjoy.

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00:32

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This is a great space to update your audience with a description of your video. Include information like what the video is about, who produced it, where it was filmed, and why it’s a must-see for viewers. Remember this is a showcase for your professional work, so be sure to use intriguing language that engages viewers and invites them to sit back and enjoy.

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00:29

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This is a great space to update your audience with a description of your video. Include information like what the video is about, who produced it, where it was filmed, and why it’s a must-see for viewers. Remember this is a showcase for your professional work, so be sure to use intriguing language that engages viewers and invites them to sit back and enjoy.

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00:31

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This is a great space to update your audience with a description of your video. Include information like what the video is about, who produced it, where it was filmed, and why it’s a must-see for viewers. Remember this is a showcase for your professional work, so be sure to use intriguing language that engages viewers and invites them to sit back and enjoy.

Video Title

00:23

Video Title

This is a great space to update your audience with a description of your video. Include information like what the video is about, who produced it, where it was filmed, and why it’s a must-see for viewers. Remember this is a showcase for your professional work, so be sure to use intriguing language that engages viewers and invites them to sit back and enjoy.

Video Title

00:32

Video Title

This is a great space to update your audience with a description of your video. Include information like what the video is about, who produced it, where it was filmed, and why it’s a must-see for viewers. Remember this is a showcase for your professional work, so be sure to use intriguing language that engages viewers and invites them to sit back and enjoy.

Video Title

00:29

Video Title

This is a great space to update your audience with a description of your video. Include information like what the video is about, who produced it, where it was filmed, and why it’s a must-see for viewers. Remember this is a showcase for your professional work, so be sure to use intriguing language that engages viewers and invites them to sit back and enjoy.

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00:31

Video Title

This is a great space to update your audience with a description of your video. Include information like what the video is about, who produced it, where it was filmed, and why it’s a must-see for viewers. Remember this is a showcase for your professional work, so be sure to use intriguing language that engages viewers and invites them to sit back and enjoy.

Meet The Team

Tom Cullen

Co-Founder, Director of the LBA (and director of SBU Innovation Center)

Kathleen Martel

LBA Managing Team Member (JCC - Director of Workforce Development)

Brianna Shay

LBA Managing Team Member (Coordinator of Innovation and Entrepreneurship @ JCC)

Jake Theodore

LBA Intern (JCC Business Class of 2023, SBU Management Class of 2025)

Hailey Jones

LBA Intern (SUNY Brockport Class of 2025)

Steve McClain

LBA Committee Chair-OBDC Board (Digital Marketing Manager-Cutco)

Todd Palmer

SBU Management Chair, Professor of Entrepreneurship, Director of SBU C4 Student Consulting

Sarah Bray

LBA Co-Founder (JCC Associate Professor of Business & Entrepreneurship)

Tripp Breen

LBA Summer Intern (SBU Business Administration Class of 2023)

Cleveland

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Jim Stitt

LBA Co-Founder (Board Chairman-OBDC, Board Chairman-Cutco)

Courtney Curatolo

LBA Managing Team Member (Director SBDC@JCC)

Sean Campbell

Business Development & Operations Associate (OBDC)

Riley Polizzi

LBA Intern (SBU Marketing Class of 2024)

Kwiatkowski

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Bob Forness

LBA Managing Team Member (OBDC President & Executive Director)

Mackenzie Bush

LBA Co-Founder (SBU Marketing Class of 2023)

Morgan Wahl

LBA Co-Founder (SBU MBA Class of 2022)

Saidy Bolya

LBA Intern (SBU Marketing Class of 2024)

We bring your business to new heights.

Join our Laine Business Accelerator team today!

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