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AMHERST, N.Y. – ˿����Ƶ’s College of Health Professions will be named The Scott Bieler College of Health Professions in honor of Scott Bieler – a member of the university’s board of trustees and the president and CEO of West Herr Automotive Group, the largest automotive group in New York State and one of the largest privately-owned auto groups in the country.

The announcement was made at the university’s annual scholarship banquet on Friday night, where Bieler was presented the Community Excellence Award.

“Scott is especially interested in and supportive of medical and healthcare efforts,” said President Gary A. Olson. “And he has supported several projects and scholarships in ˿����Ƶ’s healthcare areas, including through a recent gift to support our students. I can’t think of a more deserving person to honor in this way.” 

After achieving university status in March of 2022, ˿����Ƶ announced the formation of the three academic units at the institution: the College of Arts, Sciences, and Education; the College of Health, Human Sciences, and Business; and the College of Health Professions, which is home to the university’s departments of Nursing, Physical Therapy, and Physician Assistant Studies.

“Mr. Bieler has been a staunch champion of the College of Health Professions, and his ongoing support is transforming the quality of education and training for our students,” said Dr. Greg Ford, the founding dean of the college. “He is especially supportive of disadvantaged and underrepresented student populations, and we are proud that our college now carries his name.”

Bieler served for nearly a decade as a member of the ˿����Ƶ Community Advisory Board and recently was appointed a trustee of ˿����Ƶ’s Board of Trustees. He is considered an important community leader in Western New York. He currently serves on the boards of the Roswell Park Alliance Foundation and Invest Buffalo Niagara, and he is a member of the Greater Buffalo Racial Equity Roundtable. He is a past board member of Visit Buffalo Niagara, Upstate New York Federal Reserve Regional Advisory Board, the Buffalo Zoo, the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, and Hilbert College.

Bieler serves as president of the Scott Bieler Family Foundation and is known as one of the most prolific benefactors of local healthcare causes, donating millions of dollars to organizations across Western New York to support projects such as the Scott Bieler Clinical Sciences Center at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center main campus and the Roswell Park Scott Bieler Amherst Center.