by Joseph RADDER
When an “ill wind” blows into town bad things happen. When Bill Wind was born in
Buffalo in 1945, good things were in store for this community.
“My parents taught me that America offers great opportunities and one should
appreciate that fact and make the most of it,” Bill says as he speaks lovingly of his
parents Buffalonians for most of their lives. His dad, a GM employee for 30 years, passed
away a few years ago. His mother Arlyne (87 years young) is still living.
William M. Wind graduated from Bishop Neuman High School in 1963 and from Buffalo State
College in 1968 with a BA in Social Sciences. Later, in 1979, he went on to earn an MBA at
U.B.
“My first job was paper boy,” Bill remembers. “And, of course, I cut lawns,
weeded gardens and worked as a supermarket stock boy like lots of other kids.” Like
many in his generation, growing up in the difficult post-war years, he learned the work
ethic early. Later, while in college, he had a number of other work experiences, at
Hall’s Bakery, the GM plant and finally as an Inhalation Therapist at Buffalo General
Hospital.
It was here that he met his wife of 32 years, Pat Gage, also a Buffalo native. She, too,
was an Inhalation Therapist. Bill carried this skill into his first job after college,
working for Greene and Kellog.
Later he went to work for New York Telephone, where he began a 31year career in the
telecommunications industry. Today, Bill Wind is director of sales for Sprint PCS,
providing voice and data services to thousands of customers. “This business is
changing very rapidly,” he says. It’s exciting to be involved in new technology
on an almost daily basis.”
The Winds have four children, all of whom still live in the Buffalo area. His daughter
Kelley earned her MBA at U.B. and her teaching certificate for elementary ed at Buff
State. His oldest son, Bill Jr., is a resident orthopedic surgeon. His second son, Joe,
went to Canisius and is following in his dad’s footsteps in telecommunication sales.
His youngest, Michael, is currently a student at Canisius College. The Winds also have two
grandchildren.
Bill Wind’s list of civic contributions is longer than many we’ve seen. He has
been on the Cheektowaga Chamber of Commerce Board for 10 years. During that time he has
been president and chairman of the board. He is currently chairman of CCC Charities, a
charitable organization affiliated with the Cheektowaga Chamber.
His Chamber of Commerce work is regional as well. In the spirit of cooperation between
communities, Bill is also a member of the Amherst, Kenmore, Niagara Falls and Hamburg
Chambers as well as the Buffalo/Niagara Partnership.
Fund-raising is another of Bill Wind’s talents. He makes major contributions along
this line for Kenmore Mercy Hospital as a trustee of the Kenmore Mercy Foundation.
His ties with Canisius College are not only through his children. He is also a member of
the council of the Richard Wehle School of Business, a member of that body’s
executive committee and chairman of its technology committee.
He is a member and former director of the Buffalo-Niagara Sales and Marketing Executives,
is on the advisory board of the St. Francis Foundation, and, like his father before him,
he is treasurer of White Chapel Memorial Park.
You would think such a list of civic endeavors would fill up 24/7, but Bill still finds
time for boating, fishing, golf and communicating on his personal computer.
When we asked Bill Wind what he considers to be the most important quality of life, he was
quick to answer, “Integrity. It’s critical in today’s environment.”
Next to integrity, he has always had a high regard for professionalism and tries to
practice it in all facets of his daily life.
“I love to build,” Bill says, “not just things out of wood, but I love to
build groups of people into organizations and sales teams.”
He is optimistic about Buffalo and sees a major resurgence on the horizon. “Our
greatest asset is our people,” Bill Wind says with strong conviction. “Taking
advantage of the many assets this community has to offer our people will create
unprecedented success for Buffalo and Western New York.”
Joseph Radder is a freelance writer.