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City Shapers: The Neumanns

This week, 2 On Your Side's Kelly Dudzik tells us about two business leaders who make community service a priority.

DEPEW, N.Y. -- Each Monday, we introduce you to a City Shaper, someone or a group of people who are helping to make Western New York a better place. This week, 2 On Your Side's Kelly Dudzik tells us about two business leaders who make community service a priority.

"For us, it was an answer to prayer because our focus was giving, and we realized that a corporation could give much more than a Jim and Natalie could give," says Natalie Neumann.

Natalie Neumann grew up in Hamburg and realized she wanted to have a career in men's fashion as a 12-year-old visiting New York City. James Neumann is from Tonawanda and worked in the jewelry manufacturing industry before switching to retail.

They bought Riverside Men's Shop and S&E Jewelers, two long-time Western New York businesses, from their original owners.

"To be able to do it together, and seeing what we had been able to do before, and what we can do now, it's so much more exciting," says James Neumann.

To the Neumanns, the most important thing is to give back. One of the ways they do that is by donating suits customers don't want any more to dress for success programs.

"When we met, we found out both of us were very involved in giving not only in church, but a lot of outside organizations and local, mostly in the Buffalo area. Whether it's an adoption agency or to a self-help group or to a Saving Grace ministry that helps people out of prison," says James Neumann.

Natalie went through the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership program at UB, and to pay it forward, she now mentors aspiring entrepreneurs.

"I've got actual guidelines that I give them, say okay, first thing you need to do is understand what your passion is and what can you do with that passion and how can you impact people with it, so it's exciting for us and we are always doing that: mentoring other young people," she says.

They are also excited to be part of Buffalo and Western New York's resurgence by building on the success of two businesses that have been around for decades.

If you'd like to nominate a Buffalo business owner or not-for-profit to be a City Shaper in 2018, just send Kelly an email.

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