Rich Jureller
Vice President of Community Relations, Buffalo Sabres; President, Buffalo Sabres Foundation
2023
Rich Jureller serves as vice president of community relations for the Buffalo Sabres and is president of the Buffalo Sabres Foundation. Since joining the team in 2005, he has helped raise over 9 million dollars for the Buffalo Sabres Foundation which has supported local projects including the Explore & More Children’s Museum, Buffalo Renaissance Foundation Community Center, Buffalo Warriors and the Miracle League of WNY. Rich has also directed team and player community outreach programs since 2006 which focus on providing support to children, education, military, youth hockey and organizations that provide vital services to the WNY community.
In 2021, Jureller proposed a joint initiative with the Buffalo Bills and Sabres called Give 716, an online giving event designed to support local charities during COVID. Give 716 has raised over $2.2M for WNY nonprofits in the first two years.
Rich is a member of Pegula Sports & Entertainment Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council and is the Co-Chair of the Buffalo Sabres DEI Committee. DEI work is a passion for Jureller, most-noticeably in his role as board president of the Resource Council of WNY, which oversees the Buffalo Renaissance Foundation Community Center in East Buffalo. The community center served as the food distribution location for Tops Supermarkets in the days following the mass shooting in Buffalo and serves many critical needs to families on Buffalo’s East Side. Since 2015, the Buffalo Sabres Foundation has donated and secured over 2 million dollars for the center along with providing other significant resources to assist their operation.
A proud graduate of Medaille College, Jureller was enrolled in the inaugural Sports Management class and had the opportunity to start his professional career as an intern for Jim Kelly Enterprises, Inc. in 1993. He was hired full-time after graduation as a marketing coordinator where he was involved with the Jim Kelly Football Camp, Kelly for Kids Golf Tournament and the Jim Kelly TV Show
In addition to his role with the Sabres, Jureller serves on the board of directors for Hasek Heroes, the Miracle League of WNY, Buffalo Warriors, the Resource Council of WNY and the Make-A-Wish Buffalo Advisory Board.
In 2016, Jureller was honored with the Hedwig “De” Moss Award from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Erie County and was recognized by the National Federation of Just Communities with the Community Leader in Sports award in 2018.
Rich is a Williamsville native and today resides in East Amherst with his wife Lori and daughter Samantha.
The Summit was more than empty words – it made clear that a solution-driven approach is the only way to fight hate. That’s why the working group activities, which are results driven are going to be critical in defeating violent extremism. The Summit brought together the best minds in government, private sector, academia, and civil society. Being surrounded by these experts sparked new ideas – some of which I’ve already implemented or have written about.
