Cheryl Klass,’77, Honored for Leadership

Congratulations to Cheryl Klass, '77, chief operating officer, Kaleida Health, who was named one of the 21 honorees of Buffalo Business First's 2024 C-Level Executives Awards.

Klass began her career as a registered nurse at Children's Hospital of Buffalo in 1977 and quickly advanced into nursing leadership roles with that hospital, as well as other hospitals in Buffalo and Chicago. She was named chief operating officer for Kaleida Health in August 2022 after having served as interim president of Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute since February of that year. She is credited with creating, organizing, and overseeing Kaleida Health's first-ever nursing plan of excellence, which resulted in improved nursing operations, nurse engagement, and care quality.

The 13th annual awards recognize Western New York's most effective business leaders. Including this year's class, 262 people have been recognized since the C-Level awards began in 2012.