JF 4101: Cross-Border Capital, Tariff Headwinds and Investing in Western New York ft. Thomas A. Kucharski

Nov 26, 2025

Thomas A. Kucharski, the President and CEO of Invest Buffalo Niagara, shares insights on transforming Western New York into a tech powerhouse. He explains how centralized data and collaboration enhance site readiness for businesses. Kucharski discusses successful case studies, including Odoo's tech expansion and Milk-Bone's reinvestment. He delves into cross-border investments and the impact of tariffs on Canadian firms, advocating for transparency in funding and regional growth. His vision highlights the importance of public-private partnerships for job creation and economic resilience.

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INSIGHT

Centralized Data Wins Site Selection

Invest Buffalo Niagara unified regional data and listings to present a single reliable source for site selectors.
Centralized information reduced duplication and improved competitiveness for Western New York.

ADVICE

Act As A Neutral Connector

Connect companies to incentives, permitting, and workforce programs to lower expansion risk.
Act as a confidential neutral connector to accelerate decisions and de-risk relocations.

ANECDOTE

Odoo's Rapid Expansion In Buffalo

Odoo came from San Francisco, used six floors in a tower for a dollar and committed to 350 engineers.
The state deal required 70 jobs a year and aimed for 1,000 jobs in 10 years.

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Amanda Cruise and Ash Patel interview Thomas A. Kucharski, president and CEO of Invest Buffalo Niagara, about how his organization has helped transform Western New York from a legacy manufacturing market into a growing tech and advanced industry hub. He explains how their team centralizes regional data, builds commercial listing systems, and acts as a neutral connector to incentives, infrastructure, and workforce programs—without taking commissions—so companies can de-risk expansions and relocations. Tom shares case studies ranging from Odoo’s tech expansion and Milk-Bone’s reinvestment to Tesla’s solar facility and large industrial site redevelopments on former steel mill land, highlighting the importance of shovel-ready sites and public–private collaboration. He also digs into cross-border Canadian investment, tariffs, and why developers and local businesses “pay to play” not for sweetheart deals, but to collectively grow jobs, investment, and the regional tax base.

Thomas A. Kucharski
Current role: President & CEO, Invest Buffalo Niagara
Based in: Buffalo, New York
Say hi to them at: https://buffaloniagara.org

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