WNY’s Largest Not-for-Profit Gala raises over $1million for lifesaving care; Honors ECMC Healthcare Professionals and Outgoing CEO
BUFFALO, NEW YORK—Erie County Medical Center (ECMC) Corporation and ECMC Foundation, on Saturday, May 30th, presented Springfest Gala 2026, the largest not-for-profit gala in Western New York, which drew 1,800 attendees from the business, medical, and ECMC communities for an evening of entertainment, fine dining, and celebration. Springfest 2026 raised over $1 million this year to benefit lifesaving medical services at ECMC. *NSYNC’s Joey Fatone and Broadway star Constantine Maroulis brought the hits and kept everyone on the dance floor with an action-packed performance. For more information, including Springfest 2026 photos, please visit: https://www.ecmc.edu/event/springfest-gala-2026/. Claudine Ewing of WGRZ-TV and Clay Moden of WYRK-FM co-hosted the annual event.
During Springfest Gala 2026, presented by the Buffalo Bills and Apogee Physicians Group, Christopher A. Ritter, MD, was recognized as the Distinguished Physician Honoree. Dr. Ritter is Chief of Orthopedics at ECMC and has been at ECMC for 22 years, specializing in foot and ankle surgery, lower extremity joint replacement and reconstruction, and trauma and reconstructive surgery. JoAnn S. Wolf, MS-MHA, RN, CCISM, Vice President of Medical Surgical Nursing was recognized as the Distinguished Nursing Honoree. JoAnn began her career at ECMC in 2000 as a Hospital Aide in Behavioral Health and risen steadily through nursing leadership to her position today overseeing all Medical/Surgical Service nursing at ECMC. To honor the memory and significant contributions to ECMC of Jon Dandes, longtime ECMC Corporation and Foundation Board Member and Chair of the annual Springfest Gala, the event’s Distinguished Community Service Award has been renamed in his honor and outgoing ECMC CEO Thomas J. Quatroche became the first recipient of the Jonathan A. Dandes Distinguished Community Service Award.
Andrew L. Davis, President & COO, ECMC Corporation, said, “We are fortunate at ECMC to have such a supportive and engaged community who recognizes ECMC’s vitally important position in our region. By demonstrating this support at an event like Springfest, we are gratified and humbled by their continuing faith in our dedicated caregivers. Every day our ECMC caregivers do everything they can to provide high-quality healthcare services to the residents of our region – from the most vulnerable to the most influential. This annual special event, a fun and entertaining evening for the 1,800 attendees – including over 600 members of our ECMC Family – is yet another way to highlight the dedication, kindness and compassion of our caregivers. We thank our generous sponsors and supporters from throughout Western New York who together raised over $1 million dollars to advance our mission.”
All proceeds from the evening benefit the lifesaving medical services of ECMC that have been accredited and honored by a wide variety of national third-party organizations including the Joint Commission, which again provided ECMC its Gold Seal of Approval for quality services and patient safety.
Springfest Gala 2026 was proudly presented by the Buffalo Bills and Apogee Physicians Group. Other major sponsors included: Platinum sponsors: Pepsi, UBMD Physicians’ Group, Newman Properties Inc., UBMD Emergency Medicine, RICH’S Rich Family Foundation; Entertainment sponsor Russell’s Steaks Chops & More; Floral sponsor TOPS Friendly Markets; Gold sponsors: M&T Bank, Tom & Jodi Quatroche, Kaleida Health, Manatt, Dr. William and Valerie Belles, Paul Davis Restoration Services.
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ABOUT ECMC FOUNDATION: From life-saving surgery for trauma patients to the extra support that makes a difficult time easier for visiting families, ECMC offers true care at every level. ECMC Foundation, a not-for-profit corporation, enhances what ECMC offers to our patients and community, secures the resources that make all the difference, and takes on initiatives to financially support the life-saving work of ECMC. As our community hospital, ECMC serves a range of patients and families across Western New York. Through generous community support and building connections throughout our region, the Foundation strives to make more possible for our patients, their families, and our community.
ABOUT ERIE COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER (ECMC) CORPORATION: The ECMC Corporation includes an advanced academic medical center (ECMC) with 573 inpatient beds, on- and off-campus health centers, more than 30 outpatient specialty care services and Terrace View, a 390-bed long-term care facility. ECMC is a Level 1 Adult Trauma Center, a regional center for burn care, behavioral health services, transplantation, medical oncology and head & neck cancer care, rehabilitation, and a major teaching facility for the University at Buffalo. Most ECMC physicians, dentists and pharmacists are dedicated faculty members of the university and/or members of a private practice plan.