Charlene A. Ritter-Lester

Dec 24, 2008 

A Buffalo native, the former Charlene Ritter grew up in Snyder and graduated from Amherst Central High School in 1963. She went on to earn a degree in political science from American University in Washington, D. C., where she worked for the Libyan Embassy before returning home to Amherst in 1973.

That year, she was hired as a special projects coordinator for Erie County, working closely with County Executives Edward Regan, Edward Rutkowski, Dennis Gorski and Joel Giambra. She acted as a liaison between the Erie County Cultural Resources Advisory Board and a variety of cultural institutions.

Mrs. Ritter-Lester was deeply involved in a number of projects, including the restoration of the Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens and the reconstruction of Shea’s Performing Arts Center. She was instrumental in the financial stabilization of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Albright-Knox Art Gallery and the Buffalo Zoo.

She was named director of the county’s Office of Arts, Culture and Tourism before her retirement in November 2005. After she retired, she worked as a consultant to the Advancing Arts and Culture initiative.

Magda Cordell McHale 
February 21, 2008

Born in Hungary in 1921, Magda was the wife of the late John McHale and the late Frank Cordell; step-mother of John (Renee), Julian and Evan McHale; loving friend of Denise Kelleher, Erin and Heather Kelleher; predeceased by one sister lost in the Holocaust.

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s Magda explored her interest in the creative processes and bodily iconography in a series of large-scale, monumental paintings and mixed-media monoprints. Rayner Banham included a photograph of 'Figure' (1955) in his article 'The New Brutalism' in Architectural Review (Dec 1955), alongside work by Nigel Henrderson, Eduardo Paolozzi and the Smithsons.

Magda held an exhibition of her monotypes and collages at the ICA in 1955 and of her paintings at Hanover Gallery, London, in 1956. She collaborated with Richard Hamilton and John McHale in 'This is Tomorrow' at the Whitchapel Art Gallery, London, in 1956.

Magda and John McHale were among the founders of the Independent Group, the British movement that grew out of a fascination with American mass culture and post-WWII technologies.

Magda was a Professor Emeritus at SUNY-Buffalo from 1978-1999 in the School of Architecture and Planning where she taught the long-range consequences of social, cultural, and technological change on global societies.

The McHale Fellowship was established to support design work that involves speculation on the impact of new technologies on architecture.

Buffalo News Obituary 

Ibrahim "Himi" Jammal

November 13, 2007 

Born in Cairo, Egypt, of Lebanese descent, he received a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Cairo, then earned master’s degrees in planning and architecture from the University of Pennsylvania in 1962

Founder of the UB Department of Planning, he served on its faculty for more than 30 years. His teaching and research focus on long-range planning, forecasting methods, international-development planning and complex problem solving.  He was an emeritus associate professor in the school, who with his wife, Viviane, established the Ibrahim Jammal Lecture, as well as the Jammal Fellowship and Jammal Best Thesis Award.

A member of the American Institute of Certified Planners, he was a consultant to USAID and UNICEF, chairman of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning Commission on Global Approaches to Planning Education and a director of the Alliance Francaise of Buffalo. He also was a member of the Egyptian Society of Architects and the Center for Middle East Studies.

He was an avid reader, photographer and gardener. Also known for his culinary skills, he enjoyed delighting guests by preparing exotic dishes he had encountered during his extensive travels.

Husband of Viviane (Habra) Jammal; son of the late Michel and Wadad (Shamie) Jammal; brother of Mona (Frank) Kaminski of PA and Nabil (Lilliane) Jammal of Washington; survived by many nieces and nephews.

Michael J. Krasner

February 4, 2004

A practicing professional for 25 years in public, private and academic sectors, Mike had been with the Erie County Division of Planning since 1986. 

Mike was a charter member of APA and has been a member of AICP since 1980.  Mike was also an adjunct professor at the SUNY/Buffalo Department of Urban and Regional Planning. 

In his hometown of Cheektowaga, Mike served as a volunteer member of the town's Conservation Advisory Committee and the Stiglmeier Park Steering Committee.

In Western New York, Mike had received section awards for "Distinguished Service to Section" (1994) and "Distinguished Leadership: Professional Planner" (2002).

Outside of his planning duties, Mike traveled the world and was a huge hockey fan. Mike held season tickets to the Sabres since their inception in 1970.

Rest in Peace Mike. We miss you!

If you are interested in contributing to the Michael J. Krasner scholarship fund, please send a check referencing the scholarship to:


NY Upstate Chapter APA
Michael H. Long, AICP, RLA
City of Auburn Planning & Economic Development
Memorial City Hall

Auburn, NY 13021