Buffalo, NY - Algonquin Studios, an information technology and consulting firm hosted an official ribbon cutting ceremony today, uniting members of Buffalo's growing technology community. Mayor Anthony M. Masiello and Alan H. DeLisle, President of the Buffalo Economic Renaissance Corporation, joined the principals of Algonquin Studios to welcome them to Downtown Buffalo.

Algonquin Studios (/) develops e-business solutions and helps companies achieve their business goals on the Internet. A single-client consulting firm in March of 1999, Algonquin Studios has doubled in size, growing its client base to forty and has opened offices in the historic Brisbane Building. Algonquin Studios expects to staff fifteen employees by January 2000 and thirty by quarter one of 2001. Additionally, Algonquin Studios and D'Alba and Donovan, an Amherst based CPA firm, have joined to create Algonquin Solutions, a company focused on providing accounting information solutions, also headquartered Downtown. To accommodate its rapid growth, the company is expanding its office space to 4100 square feet by January 1.

"The future of Downtown Buffalo is intrinsically tied to information technology," said Mayor Masiello. "And it is companies like Algonquin Studios and their rapid growth that illustrates that Downtown Buffalo is the place for IT. We have targeted this industry sector and have tailored our lending products and real estate services to meet the needs of this growing movement. Simply put, Downtown Buffalo has inexpensive real estate and offers a variety of loans and other incentives for new companies and those companies looking to expand. We see Algonquin Studios as a telling sign that information technology companies want to grow and flourish in the Downtown Byte-Belt."

Greg Meyer, President of Algonquin Solutions, said "D'Alba and Donovan recognizes the growing role of technology in business, and Algonquin Studios recognizes the importance of solid business justification for IT projects. Algonquin Solutions allows both firms to seamlessly offer strategic technology and financial services."

"We recognize the strategic importance of downtown. Although D'Alba and Donovan is Amherst based, we feel that supporting the Western New York economy includes supporting the economic center of the region. Having Algonquin Studios, the Algonquin Solutions main office, as well as a D'Alba and Donovan satellite office Downtown will significantly enhance our ability to provide world class services to our clients."

"We are committed to prospering in Buffalo," said Stephen Kiernan, President of Algonquin Studios, "We love being Downtown and participating in the growth of the new IT community in Buffalo. We are providing an attractive alternative for talented IT professionals in Western New York and we will be part of a broader effort to keep our young people here. We appreciate all of the help we have received from the BERC and the Mayor. They have gone out of their way to make us feel welcome and we feel like a significant part of the community here. We are looking forward to a long term commitment to the city of Buffalo and the Western New York region."

Algonquin Studios' growth and joint venture status with D'Alba and Donovan is just one example of the rapidly growing opportunities for IT companies created by the Internet. As a creator of cutting-edge technology services, Algonquin Studios has the additional distinction of being the first company in Western New York to use DSL technology, provided by Choice One Communications. DSL (digital subscriber line) is a technology that allows extremely high bandwidth Internet services to be delivered over traditional phone lines.

"Nurturing the IT community demonstrates our belief that this industry represents the future of the City of Buffalo," said BERC President Alan H. DeLisle. "We are excited for Algonquin Studios as we see their ability to capitalize on the worldwide technological momentum propelling the marketplace of today and tomorrow."