Memorial announces 2020 Premier co-chairs

Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center has named its co-chairs for the 2020 Premier, the medical center’s annual black tie gala: Rajinder Bajwa, M.D., F.I.D.S.A.; Simmanjeet Mangat, M.D.; Marnie LaVigne, Ph.D.; and Robert Fohl.

The 2020 Premier will be held Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020, at Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino. It will welcome The Downtown Band as this year’s headliner.

Mangat joined the Memorial medical staff in 2014 and serves as medical director of the Golisano Primary Care Center and Memorial’s adult and children’s health homes.

A graduate of Government Medical College (Patiala, India), Mangat also trained in medical and biochemical genetics and has worked as a post-doctoral fellow at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She completed her residency in internal medicine at the UB School of Medicine, where she was also chief resident. Serving the community with care and compassion are of utmost importance to her. 

Bajwa has been part of the Memorial Medical Center family since 2013 and is chief of Memorial’s infectious disease division. A graduate of Government Medical College, Bajwa completed a residency in radiodiagnosis at Dayanand Medical College & Hospital (Ludhiana), and trained in internal medicine at Allegheny General Hospital (Pittsburgh). He then completed two years of fellowship in infectious diseases at University at Buffalo.

Bajwa has been providing quality care in the field of infectious diseases with special focus on hepatitis C and HIV prevention. He also teaches medical students and resident physicians as an assistant adjunct professor of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. He is a fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the nation’s leading infectious disease professional society.

Lavigne is president and CEO of Launch NY, a nonprofit venture development organization, and has spent more than 30 years in both the private and public sectors driving innovation and economic growth in technology-based companies. In addition, she chairs the New York State Economic Development Council and serves on several boards including the Memorial Medical Center board of directors.

Fohl founded Fohl Sales in 1998 as an independent manufacturer sales representative firm. Based in Buffalo, Fohl Sales manages numerous product lines across New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Ontario and Quebec. In addition, Fohl is past president of the American Concrete Institute and an active member of several other industry associations.

Proceeds from the 2020 Premier will be dedicated to Memorial’s surgical services.

This event sells out early every year. For information about sponsorship and donation opportunities, call 716-278-4604.