Charging Buffalo Award

The  moment  we’ve  all been waiting for has arrived!  It is with great  excitement and pride that the BN committee announces the recipient of the prestigious Charging Buffalo Award for 2024. Please join us in congratulating this year’s winner  – Mr. Jerry Zremski.

2024 Charging Buffalo Award Recipient

Jerry Zremski – Buffalo News, Washington Enterprise Reporter

Jerry Zremski has been a professional journalist since 1982, joining The Buffalo News in 1984 and becoming a Washington reporter in 1989. He has focused on federal issues impacting Buffalo and the Western New York House delegation. Serving as Washington bureau chief from 2007 to 2022, he is now a part-time enterprise reporter.

Zremski has received numerous accolades, including the National Press Club’s Washington Regional Reporting Award (2018), the Washington Press Club Foundation’s David Lynch Memorial Award (2017), and the Society of Professional Journalists’ Sigma Delta Chi award (2017). He was also awarded a Nieman fellowship at Harvard University in 1999-2000.

In July 2022, he became a lecturer and director of the Local News Network at the University of Maryland, where he mentors student journalists in producing in-depth local news projects. He has received multiple faculty awards from the university.

Zremski, a member of the Gridiron Club and past president of the National Press Club, has interviewed prominent figures and written satirical songs for the Club’s dinners. He holds degrees from Syracuse University and American University. Originally from Elkland, Pennsylvania, he now resides in Washington, D.C.

Past Award Winners

  • 2023 – Julie Pace, American Journalist
  • 2019 – Jamie Stachowski, James Beard Chef and Owner
  • 2018 – Peter M Cuviello, Senior Client Partner (Retired Alumnus), Deloitte Advisory, Defense Segment, US Federal Services; Deloitte & Touché LLP 
  • 2017 – Margaret Sullivan, Media Columnist for the Washington Post 
  • 2016 – Kim Keenan, President and CEO of Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC)
  • 2015 – Megan Smith, US Chief Technology Officer
  • 2014 – H. David Jay, Architect
  • 2013 – The Honorable Tom Reynolds, former Congressman
  • 2012 – Jim Militello, Radio Sports Reporter for Associated Press Broadcast
  • 2011 – Tracy O’Grady, Owner and Executive Chef, Willow
  • 2010 – Erik Brady, Sportswriter for USA Today
  • 2009 – Donald E. Will, President and CEO of Will Poultry Company
  • 2008 – Charles W. Roesch, Owner of multifaceted restaurant and catering business
  • 2007 – The Honorable Bill Paxon, Buffalo area Congressman and lobbyist
  • 2006 – Michael A. Fitzpatrick, General Secretary, International Association of Iron Workers
  • 2005 – Tom Toles, Pulitzer Prize winning editorial cartoonist for the Washington Post
  • 2004 – The Honorable Jack Quinn, Buffalo area Congressman
  • 2003 – The Honorable(s) Jack Kemp, John LaFalce, and Hank Nowak, Buffalo area Congressman and Buffalo Nite founders
  • 2002 – Gwen Ifill, Managing Editor and Moderator, PBS Washington Week
  • 2001 – Scheduled for September 12, cancelled
  • 2000 – The Honorable Daniel Patrick Moynihan, U.S. Senator, State of New York
  • 1999 – Marv Levy, Head Coach of the Buffalo Bills
  • 1998 – James T. Molloy, Doorkeeper, U.S. House of Representatives
  • 1997 – The Honorable Thomas A. Constantine, Administrator, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
  • 1996 – David O. “Doc” Cooke, Pentagon administrator
  • 1995 – Wolf Blitzer, CNN television correspondent
  • 1994 – Mark Russell, Political satirist
  • 1993 – Tim Russert, Moderator of Meet the Press, NBC Washington Bureau Chief