More than 14,000 J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge entrants this June will see their efforts celebrated through a donation to the Beverly Gray Business Exchange Center.

BUFFALO, April 16, 2019 – The memory of Beverly A. Gray, a pioneer for the East Side of Buffalo, will be honored at this year’s J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge as a new initiative in her name is highlighted.

JPMorgan Chase will donate in celebration of all Corporate Challenge participants to the Beverly Gray Business Exchange Center, which inclusively serves small businesses on Buffalo’s East Side and throughout Western New York.

“The mission of the Beverly Gray Business Exchange Center is to increase the quantity and capacity of local minority and women entrepreneurs,” said Royce Woods, Executive Director, Beverly Gray Business Exchange Center. “It is our goal to provide hope to the community through entrepreneurship opportunity.  We provide all our services – including start-up/launch technical assistance, identifying funding sources, assistance with M/WBE certification, and contract matchmaking – free of charge to the community.”

The 2019 J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge, scheduled for Thursday, June 13 at Delaware Park, should deliver widespread awareness of Beverly Gray Business Exchange Center.  A Buffalo-record crowd of 14,145 runners and walkers from 391 companies registered in 2018.

“As a start-up organization, the exposure will be extremely helpful,” Woods said. “We are working diligently to communicate to the community the resources that are currently available for entrepreneurs to take advantage of.  This platform will allow us to do that. 

“It is a great time to be starting a business in the City of Buffalo,” Woods continued. “The Beverly Gray Center is part of the ecosystem that makes it a great time and place to chase your dream.  This exposure opportunity will be an opportunity to promote that.”

The JPMorgan Chase donation to Beverly Gray Business Exchange Center has a tangible goal in sight.

“The funding will be used to support the core operations of the Beverly Gray Business Exchange Center,” Woods said. “This includes delivery of our core operations as well as our evening and weekend educational series.  We have set a target of servicing 150 new entrepreneurs through our contract year and this additional exposure and funding will give us support in achieve that outcome.” 

Bob McArdle, Buffalo Executive Director for JPMorgan Chase, feels the Beverly Gray Business Exchange Center is a perfect fit within the firm’s philanthropic initiatives.

“Our objectives are to help small businesses expand, assist people to develop the skills needed to compete, provide them with the tools to improve their financial health and revitalize underserved neighborhoods,” McArdle said. “This dovetails nicely with Beverly Gray Business Exchange Center.  As a relatively new organization, the exposure to almost 400 businesses entered in the Corporate Challenge will enhance their profile in the community and be beneficial to our corporate partners who want to do more with M/WBE businesses.

“We couldn’t be happier to be working with Beverly Gray Business Exchange Center this year,” McArdle concluded. “They are a vital resource in an important part of our community.”

Registration is open for the 39th running of the J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge in Buffalo. The entry fee is $38 per employee and businesses may enter a minimum of four with no maximum.  The firm deadline for entries to be submitted is Tuesday, May 21, or when capacity is reached.  Support is available via buffalo@corpchallenge.jpmorgan.com or (716) 566-9916.