Call it a holiday gift. Thanks to legislation passed in December, beginning in 2015, owners of 529 accounts will be able to change the investment options on their existing plan contributions twice per calendar year instead of just once. This increased flexibility is a welcome option for parents and grandparents who use 529 plans to save for their children's or grandchildren's college education.

Previously, if an account owner had exhausted his or her once-per-year investment change allowance, the only way to change investment options again on existing contributions in the same year was to change the beneficiary of the account, which may not have been desirable or feasible.

Daemen College has been designated a Platinum Fit-Friendly Worksite, the highest level awarded, by the American Heart Association (AHA) for the college’s efforts to help employees eat better and be more physically active.

This is the second consecutive AHA distinction received by Daemen, which last year was named a Gold Fit-Friendly Worksite. The Fit-Friendly Worksites Program is intended as a catalyst for positive change in the American workforce by helping workplaces make their employees’ health and well-being a priority.

Daemen College’s economic impact on the Buffalo Niagara region in 2013 reached nearly $132 million, representing a $17 million increase for the Amherst-based institution, according to a new study released today, Jan. 15, by the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities (CICU).

“This substantial figure illustrates Daemen plays a key role in the region’s economic vitality and has emerged as a significant contributor to Western New York’s long-term economic well-being,” said Daemen President Gary A. Olson. “For almost 70 years, Daemen has been actively engaged in this area and we will continue our commitment to growing and thriving with the community.”