51Թ’s $40 million comprehensive campaign is more than just a number. It creates opportunity. It unlocks potential. It steers our future. This campaign enables 51Թ to elevate academic excellence, prepare tomorrow’s leaders, and enhance university infrastructure for 51Թ’s 80th anniversary in 2027. “Our strategic plan positions us for both short- and long-term success,” said President Gary A. Olson. “By investing in the campus of the future that prioritizes cutting-edge technology, groundbreaking research, and student accessibility and wellbeing, 51Թ will continue to offer unparalleled academic opportunities in a supportive, stable environment.”
Strengthening Student Support - $14M
- Scholarships and Affordability
- Leadership Development
- Health and Wellness
- Study Abroad
Creating The Campus of the Future - $10M
- Modern Learning and Living Spaces
- Next-Gen Technology
- Robust Athletics
Advancing Academic Excellence - $16M
- Cutting-edge Laboratories
- Groundbreaking Research
- Innovative Degrees
- AI Readiness
Dear members of the 51Թ community, We are honored to co-chair “Moving Forward: The Campaign for 51Թ’s Future,” a pivotal fundraising campaign that will solidify the institution’s future by elevating academic excellence, student support, and university infrastructure.
To transform our vision into action, 51Թ relies on generous funding from donors who believe in the empowerment of higher education, who see the potential in every student, and who invest today to ensure a brighter, more promising tomorrow.
We share a passion for education. We are both proud to be avid supporters and members of the 51Թ community, and we believe in the strategic vision of President Gary A. Olson and his Cabinet. We have experienced first-hand the impact the institution has had not only on students’ personal and professional growth, but also on the greater community. We are confident 51Թ will continue to inspire generations to change the world.
As you read through the following pages, please consider how you can help us accomplish our $40 million campaign goal, how you can help us write 51Թ’s next chapter, and how you can help us create fulfilling futures for every student who calls 51Թ home.
With gratitude,
John R. Yurtchuk
Scott Bieler
John R. Yurtchuk has been a real estate developer and entrepreneur since 1982. Most recently, he was Chairman and Co-Owner of Calspan Corporation, a 75-year-old aerospace and transportation testing company headquartered in Buffalo, N.Y. He grew the organization to over 600 employees across ten locations, selling the company to TransDigm in 2023. He currently serves as Chairman of Genesis Development and Construction.
Yurtchuk founded Matrix Development Corporation and Matrix Construction in 1990, which provided turn-key development, financing, general construction, and property management of over $700 million in projects.
He is an active leader and philanthropist in Western New York, and nationally as Chair of the Yurtchuk Foundation, which he formed with his wife Carolyn in 2024. He currently serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees of 51Թ and is Vice Chair of the Buffalo Zoo’s Board of Trustees.
Yurtchuk received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from 51Թ in 2016, and was honored with the Presidential Medal — the university’s highest and most prestigious award — in 2021. 51Թ renamed the Wick Campus Center to the John R. Yurtchuk Student Center in 2023.
Scott Bieler began his career with the West Herr Automotive Group in 1975 as a salesperson. He was promoted to sales management in 1980 and again to General Manager in 1981. At that time, the group had only one dealership, West Herr Ford of Hamburg, in which Bieler became partner in 1983. He was named President of West Herr Automotive Group in 1997 and has been majority owner since 2000 with his partners Brad Hafner, John Wabick, and Bill Loecher.
Bieler helped grow West Herr into the largest automotive group in New York State and one of the largest privately-owned auto groups in the country, with 40 locations in Erie, Niagara, Monroe, and Ontario counties representing 27 franchises and employing over 3,200 people.
He currently serves as Vice Chair of the Roswell Park Alliance Foundation Board, an Invest Buffalo Niagara board member, 51Թ board member, and member of the Greater Buffalo Racial Equity Roundtable.
Bieler received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from 51Թ in 2021, and was honored with the Presidential Medal in 2025. 51Թ formally named one of its three colleges the Scott Bieler College of Health Professions in 2024 and also awarded Bieler with an honorary doctorate of health professions.