Brother Thomas Beauford Jr. elected to President and CEO of the Buffalo Urban League.

Rho Lambda member Thomas Beauford Jr. has been newly elected position as President and CEO of the Buffalo Urban League.

Thomas Beauford, Jr. is an accomplished executive with over 20 years of strategic leadership experience in private industry and community board service. He most recently served as vice president at M&T Bank in the Risk Management and Regulatory Affairs division.

Currently, Thomas is a board member of the Minority Bar Foundation of WNY, Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, and the National Black MBA Association of WNY— where he is the immediate Past President. Thomas’ past community and board service include: Buffalo Urban Development Corporation; Board Chair, the International Institute of Buffalo; Treasurer, Community Health Center of Buffalo, and President, Urban Bankers Coalition-New York City.

Beauford holds a bachelor’s degree from St. Peter’s University and MBA and master’s degrees from the University at Buffalo, as well as a certificate in governance from the Harvard Business School's Executive Education program.

During a Zoom press conference announcing the appointment , brother Beauford invited members of the community to partner with the organization in its efforts to advance positive change, either as a member, volunteer or sponsor.

“Change is needed, not just incremental change, but wholesale reform,” Beauford said. “The Buffalo Urban league stands ready. You could say we’ve been preparing for this since our inception.”

He said his first goals at the agency will be to get acquainted with the staff and familiarize himself with the agency’s current programming. He’ll also work to better understand the organization and how to best build on those platforms.

An avid jazz enthusiast, he was born in Harlem, N.Y. and raised in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn. He is also involved in the local nonprofit community, having served on the boards of the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens and Buffalo Urban Development Corp, and as board treasurer of the Community Health Center of Buffalo. He is the past board chair of the International Institute of Buffalo and immediate past president of the Buffalo Chapter of the National Black MBA Association.