Our Team
We’re working together for Buffalo.
Our mission is to transform Buffalo’s landmark DL&W terminal into a vibrant urban hub that connects visitors to community, commerce, and history.
Sam Savarino, CEO
For over 40 years, Samuel J. Savarino has been responsible for developing and constructing projects in Western New York, the Carolinas, and Florida, including academic institutions, sports facilities, telecommunications infrastructure, historic restorations, and affordable housing. Through Savarino DL&W Development LLC, he is heading up the adaptive reuse of the former DL&W train terminal located on Buffalo’s downtown waterfront. Savarino owns and manages a portfolio of properties through Savarino Properties LLC, a full-service asset/property manager and construction/development advisor. He holds a BA in history from the University at Buffalo and is a certified Construction Documents Technologist (CDT) and Certified Construction Contract Administrator (CCCA). He serves as an advisor to the University at Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning.
Active in the community, Savarino has chaired campaigns for the United Way of Buffalo and Erie County, Buffalo Hearing and Speech Center, and the Food Bank of WNY. He has served on boards for many organizations, including the Western New York Rare Books Consortium, Friends of the Night People, Children’s Hospital of Buffalo, Canisius College, D’Youville University, and the Buffalo Legacy Foundation, to name a few. Savarino’s leadership has earned him numerous accolades, the most recent of which include the Leadership Buffalo Community Values Award, AFRP Philanthropist of the Year, UB College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Alumni Award, Business First C-Level Executive Honoree, and Buffalo Spree’s 2022 Friend of the Arts Award and 2024’s ChaShama Gala Honoree.
Visit Sam’s LinkedIn.
Christa Glennie, Director of Operations
Christa Glennie serves as Director of Operations for the DL&W project and as a Vice President of Savarino DL&W Development LLC. She brings a combination of strategic clarity, operational discipline, and creative thinking to complex, collaborative initiatives.
Glennie’s background includes brand development, event concepting, property management, and project planning. In addition to her leadership roles, Glennie has consulted with restaurateurs, developers, consultants, and nonprofits on a range of strategic initiatives, including public market feasibility, event development, business plan viability, and systems development.
From 2018 to 2021, she worked for a development firm specializing in sophisticated mixed-use projects. During that time, she managed a 675,000-square-foot property near Boston, overseeing dozens of retail, dining, and entertainment tenants, as well as a full slate of curated events and activations. Her leadership spanned vendor oversight, staff supervision, marketing, tenant relations, capital improvements, and managing a multimillion-dollar annual budget.
Before her current role, she served as a content strategist, guiding web architecture and supporting the creation of brand identities and multi-channel campaigns. From 2008 to 2018, she ran Feed Your Soul, producing a series of sold-out, food-focused events ranging from chef competitions to farm tours and food festivals. She has also held editorial leadership roles at publications and contributed as a freelance writer to national media outlets, a career that followed years working in restaurant and retail management.
A Seattle native and proud Buffalonian, Glennie is deeply committed to building community and creating opportunities for others. Currently, she is a public member of the American Culinary Federation’s Accreditation Commission and is the founder of MIX, a monthly networking group for women. Her contributions to Buffalo/Niagara’s hospitality and tourism sectors earned her the WNY Hospitality Ambassador Award and the National Travel and Tourism Beacon Award from Visit Buffalo Niagara.
Visit Christa's LinkedIn.
Josh Holtzman, Strategic Advisor – Events and Entertainment
Josh Holtzman brings over fifteen years of experience in the music and event management industry to the DL&W project in his role as a strategic advisor. His areas of expertise include site operations, talent booking, event production, marketing, financial oversight, and staff management. Holtzman is the CEO and co-founder of Twenty6 Productions, a full-service event production company that has grown into a trusted leader in live events, handling everything from national tours to complex multi-day festivals and private activations. He is also the co-owner of Buffalo Iron Works, a live music venue he helped build from the ground up. Under his leadership, Iron Works has become a cornerstone of Buffalo’s live entertainment scene, hosting hundreds of concerts, fundraisers, and community events each year.
Holtzman has played a key role in shaping both companies into successful, community-driven businesses known for innovation, collaboration, and delivering top-tier experiences. As a lead in business development, he has been instrumental in securing high-profile clients, such as the Buffalo Bills, M&T Bank, Highmark, and the Buffalo Sabres, among others. As part of his ongoing work with Twenty6 Productions, he now supports ticketed and special events for the DL&W project.
Visit Josh’s LinkedIn.
Grace Vesneske, Strategic Advisor – Events and Entertainment
Vesneske serves as Strategic Advisor – Events and Entertainment for the DL&W project, where she applies more than a decade of experience producing concerts, festivals, private events, and corporate functions. She is also the president and co-founder of Twenty6 Productions, an event firm known for managing complex, high-capacity events throughout the region. In addition, Vesneske is a co-owner of Buffalo Iron Works, a prominent live music venue that has become a staple in Buffalo’s entertainment scene.
Vesneske’s career spans roles in talent coordination, sponsorship, food and beverage operations, site logistics, and creative concept development. She holds a degree in communications and marketing from Buffalo State College and has planned and produced events for more than fifteen venues and organizations. Recognized for her organization, attention to detail, reliability, and creative leadership, Vesneske has earned a reputation for delivering consistently high standards in both event execution and design. Through her leadership at Twenty6 Productions and her role with the DL&W project, she continues to shape events that reflect operational strength and a clear vision for audience experience.
Visit Grace's LinkedIn.