For Anne Phuntner, moving to Buffalo wasn't part of the plan until an opportunity brought her here in 2016.
Originally from Virginia, Phuntner relocated after completing graduate school.
"It was working for M&T Bank that brought me to Buffalo," Phuntner said.
Nine years later, Phuntner said the city has far exceeded her expectations. The Queen City is now a place she calls home.
"I just feel like in Buffalo, people are really, really rooted here and connected here," she said. "That also makes them incredibly welcoming and inviting in that community."
Phuntner's experience is one example of what many newcomers are experiencing, thanks in part to the 'Be in Buffalo' program.
The initiative, launched in 2019, was designed to attract new professionals and talent to our region, showcasing the opportunities Buffalo offers.
Greg Pokriki, Communications Manager for Invest Buffalo Niagara, explains that the program's main goal is to reverse the region's "brain drain," encouraging professionals to consider Buffalo a viable place to live and work.
"Tons of businesses have moved in over the last 10 to 15 years as part of what everybody knows as this Buffalo resurgence," Pokriki said. "They're expanding, they're creating new jobs, and there's room for people to come back to Buffalo. We need them in order to accelerate that resurgence."
Two weeks ago, Be in Buffalo launched a new portal on its website, allowing people to explore job opportunities, submit resumes and even receive support with the moving process.
"There's that demand. There is that optimism. People want to call Buffalo home," says Pokriki. "And it's our job to help them do so."
For anyone considering a move to Buffalo, Phuntner offered this piece of advice: "Keep an open mind about Buffalo. It's not just snowy winters, it's beautiful. It's just a really vibrant place to live in."
For more information on where you can apply for recruitment, you can click here.
