Mr. Vilonen and his wife, Karen, presently own and operate Ben Brook Farm and Nursery. The Nursery is a diversified plant material only wholesale/retail operation. It is located on Tonawanda Creek Road in Amherst where they have operated since 1978. Mr. Vilonen has worked on planning and design projects for government, as well as in the private sector. He has a master’s degree in Architecture from the School of Architecture and Environmental Design, SUNY at Buffalo. Professional activities have included site planning, environmental analysis and assessment, grant and proposal writing, and historic preservation. Affiliations include current chairman, Amherst Industrial Development Agency; past board member and president of the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, a national horticultural trade association; past chairman, Amherst Conservation Advisory Council; past chairman North Amherst Master Plan Committee; past co-chairman Amherst Open Space Acquisition Committee; past president, current board member, North Amherst Volunteer Fire Company; current board member Western New York Land Conservancy.