The Buffalo Sewer Authority today announced the retirement of Herbert L. Bellamy Jr., the longest-serving member and Chairman of the organization. Bellamy, a lifelong resident of the City of Buffalo, is currently the C.E.O. of Bellamy Enterprises, Buffalo Black Achievers, Inc. and Niagara Falls Black Achievers. He was appointed to the Board in 1991 and was elected as the Chairman on July 1, 1994; Bellamy has served under four mayoral administrations.
Considered a thoughtful leader within Buffalo’s community, Bellamy began his entrepreneurial, personal, and civic development as a young man in several family businesses. He has been a successful insurance broker and financial planner for over 20 years. Under the umbrella of Bellamy Enterprises, he has developed several businesses and currently is involved in managing numerous projects.
Buffalo Business First has named him one of the Power 100 Business Leaders of Color multiple times.
Bellamy’s career at Buffalo Sewer Authority spanned over three decades, during which he made significant contributions to the City of Buffalo. His legacy at Buffalo Sewer Authority includes investing $300 million in construction projects, creating 4,000 jobs, and ensuring $50 million in contracting opportunities for minority and female owned businesses.
Bellamy has also been a stalwart champion of diversity and inclusion within The Buffalo Sewer Authority, transforming the organization’s workforce to better reflect the demographics of the city. When he was first appointed, employees of color were few, numbering in the single digits. Through his leadership, the organization significantly diversified its workforce. Currently of the 247 Buffalo Sewer Authority employees, 40% is non-white (36% Black) and (4% Hispanic).
In 2015, Bellamy appointed the Buffalo Sewer Authority’s first African American General Manager, following that he appointed additional first time African Americans to his Executive team in the positions of: General Counsel, Chief Financial Officer and Director of Employee Relations.
Dedicated to Buffalo’s thriving communities, Bellamy led the Buffalo Sewer Authority in establishing Juneteenth as a holiday in 2020, and was the first municipal entity in New York State to do so.
In 2021, Bellamy oversaw the issuance of a $50 million Environmental Impact Bond, the largest-ever publicly offered in the United States. Bellamy was the winner of the Bond Buyer Small Issuer Deal of the Year award.
In 2018 and 2023, he also successfully petitioned the State Legislature to increase Buffalo Sewer’s bonding capacity from $125 million to $500 million. In addition, each year during his 33-year tenure, Buffalo Sewer Authority received the Government Finance Officer Association’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting, a prestigious national award.
Bellamy welcomed the prestigious National Association of Clean Water Agencies and its Annual Utility Leadership Conference to the City of Buffalo in the Summer of 2024, spotlighting the city’s water infrastructure innovations on a national platform and bringing over $800,000 into the community through commerce and tourism.
He also championed a groundbreaking $26 million dollar commitment to green infrastructure and streetscape improvements along Jefferson Avenue, which started in the Spring of 2025.
“The Buffalo Sewer Authority has been profoundly shaped and impacted by Herb’s leadership. We are grateful for his dedicated service to clean water and the City of Buffalo,” said Christopher Roosevelt Vice Chairman of the Buffalo Sewer Authority. “His business acumen, community relationships, and vision have been invaluable, and he will be missed.”
Earlier this year, the Buffalo Sewer Authority celebrated its 90th year anniversary with a $100 million East Delavan Sewer Improvement Project. The East Delavan Sewer Improvement Project is part of the Queen City Clean Waters Initiative, a $1 billion undertaking to improve the health and safety of local waterways.
Bellamy’s impact on the City of Buffalo cannot be overstated. He leaves behind an award-winning organization with an entrepreneurial staff dedicated to the mission of clean water and community wealth. Under his leadership, the Buffalo Sewer Authority has continually operated in the “black.” Toward that end, the Buffalo Sewer Authority in early July 2025 issued up to $52,000.000 in Sewer System Revenue Bonds.
“I am proud of what we have accomplished at The Buffalo Sewer Authority during my time here,” said Bellamy. “I am confident that the organization will continue to provide excellence in its service to the Buffalo community.”
On July 11, 2025 Bellamy was selected to serve as the President of the Niagara Business Association (NBA) a remarkable group of business leaders in Western New York.
The Buffalo Sewer Authority thanks Chairman Herbert L. Bellamy, Jr. for his 33 years of commitment and wishes him the best in his retirement