Presentors

Rick Falkowski

Rick Falkowski has been involved in all aspects of WNY entertainment during the past 55 years. He is the found of the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame and Buffalo Music Awards, former publisher of Buffalo Backstage Magazine, entertainment coordinator of Tonawanda’s Gateway Harbor concerts, former representative of the American Society of Authors, Composers & Publishers (ASCAP), USAF vetern and Time Warner retiree. He presents clases on the History of Buffalo Music & Entertainment and Buffalo History at libraries, community centers, schools, senior living centers and for other various organizations. In addition, Rick is the author of History of Buffalo Music & Entertainment (2017). Profiles Volume 1: Historic & Influential People from Buffalo & WNY – the 1800s (2019), Profiles Volume 2: Historic & Influential People from Buffalo & WNY – the Early 1900s (2021) and he is currently writing two additional books.

Gregory Kinal

Gregory Kinal was born in Buffalo’s Old First Ward in 1948 and he and his family eventually moved to the Town of Elma in the 1950’s. He completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Social Studies Education from Mansfield University (PA) in 1970 and went on to receive a Masters Degree from SUNY College at Buffalo in 1974.
In his career at Pembroke Central School, Kinal founded the 8th grade Washington DC trip in 1972, which has taken thousands of Pembroke students and parents to our nation’s capital. This year will be the 53rdt consecutive trip. In addition, Kinal and two of his colleagues sponsor a summer trip to Washington, where they have taken adults including World War II, Korean and Vietnam vets to see their memorials.