AMHERST, N.Y. – Paul A. Saffrin, chief executive officer of Vanocur Refractories, has been named to the Daemen College Board of Trustees.

“We are pleased to welcome Mr. Saffrin as a new Daemen trustee and believe his depth of business experience, strong leadership skills, and steadfast commitment to our community will be valuable to taking our college to new levels of excellence,” said Dr. Thomas Stewart, chair of the Daemen Board of Trustees.

As CEO of Vanocur Refractories, Saffrin, who co-owns two U.S. patents in the corbel repair of coke ovens, oversees a leading innovator in the manufacture and repair of coke ovens. He also serves as CEO of Tonawanda Coke and the Erie Coke Corp.

A strong supporter in the Western New York community, Saffrin is a trustee of the Paul A. Saffrin Foundation and served on the Daemen Community Advisory Board until his appointment as trustee.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in international marketing and psychology from Bradley University.

A Midwest native, Saffrin resides in Orchard Park.