Mary Alice Heston

June 10, 1966 – July 26, 2026

Mary Alice Heston (née Colello) had a rare gift for creating places where people belonged.

Family knew her as Mary Alice. Colleagues knew her as MAC. Her nieces and nephews knew her as Aunt Mary. She lived with uncommon kindness and purpose, unwavering loyalty, and an instinct for knowing what mattered.

Mary Alice died peacefully at home, surrounded by her husband, Jeff, her dog, Buddy, and family.

Mary Alice was born on June 10, 1966, in Buffalo, NY. She was the youngest of five children of Alice (Nowicki) and Nicholas Colello.

When she was two years old, her father died unexpectedly, and her mother returned to work as a nurse to support the family. Much of Mary Alice’s childhood was spent with her grandparents, Stephen and Mary Nowicki. Together, they gardened, baked tortes, rode the bus to Niagara Falls, and found adventure in ordinary afternoons. Those years shaped a lifelong devotion to family and a belief that the little things mattered.

When Alice married Thomas Pratt, a widower with five children, two families became one. She became a big sister and was a favorite of the older children.

Mary Alice excelled in school, music, athletics, and theater. She was skilled in math and science and tutored classmates in these subjects. She played recreation league soccer, softball and skied proficiently. In high school, she was a four-year member of the Synchronized Swimming Club and was selected for a duet Senior year. She captained the Hamburg High School Color Guard, Mary Alice was musically gifted. She had an amazing singing voice and was in the church choir at St. Peter and Paul. In middle and high school, she was in Chorus and Select Chorus. She played cello for 10 years and was first cello her senior year. She performed in the high school musicals for four years and was a great actress. She made friends in every circle.

After graduating from Erie Community College with a perfect 4.0 GPA, she earned a scholarship to the Rochester Institute of Technology to study Computer Engineering as one of only seven women admitted to the program. She worked full time while earning her degree as a bank teller, served as a note taker for students at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, and became active in the Society of Women Engineers.

She loved solving difficult problems. That became the foundation of a career that took her from ABB to Oracle, Salesforce, and ultimately Reltio.

At ABB, she built an engineering career that took her around the world. At Oracle, she formed friendships that lasted for decades.

At Salesforce, colleagues became lifelong friends. A gifted strategist, bold visionary, and remarkably genuine leader, MAC’s impact on Salesforce—and the global tech ecosystem—leaves an indelible legacy that will inspire generations of leaders.

MAC joined Salesforce in 2013 as Vice President of Industries Acceleration and Global Cloud Solutions Alliances. Over an exceptional eight-year tenure, she served as a pivotal force behind the company’s evolution. She didn't just manage growth—she drove it, fearlessly navigating complex organizational landscapes to build and scale a world-class partner network that radically accelerated product innovation.

Throughout her career, MAC earned a reputation as a formidable, values-driven operator who proved that high performance and genuine humanity are not mutually exclusive. A fiercely dedicated champion for inclusion, she poured her energy into expanding global diversity programs and actively building pathways for women in tech, ensuring the door stayed wide open for those following in her footsteps. Her commitment to service extended far beyond the workplace, serving on the board of the American Cancer Society and lending her voice and resources to animal rescue organizations. She also leant her time to Girls Who Code, the Girl Scouts and Spectrum Support program at RIT.

To those privileged enough to work alongside her, MAC was defined by her razor-sharp intellect, her willingness to dive into the trenches, and her bold, risk-taking spirit. Yet, it was her signature warmth, quick humor, and unwavering mentorship that left the deepest mark. MAC grounded her leadership in a simple, non-negotiable principle: do the right thing—for customers, for partners, and for people. She firmly believed that true leadership was never about title or authority, but about how many people you lifted as you climbed.

At Reltio, MAC served as Vice President of Partnerships, leading the global Alliances organization. She built what colleagues came to call a destination team, drawing partner leaders across every pillar and shaping them into something greater than the sum of their titles. Her gift was for growing people as much as the business, and she led through mentorship and the generous sharing of all she knew. She did all of it with a rare and unwavering grace, marked by patience, dignity, and an ethics she never compromised. MAC’s leadership directly contributed to Reltio’s acquisition by SAP, capping a career of impact that extended well beyond her tenure.

In Jeff Heston, Mary Alice found a partner who shared her love of adventure, golf, travel, and bringing people together. They met through friends at the Masters Tournament, where a chance introduction became the beginning of a remarkable partnership. One year later, they were married at the Masters, forever connecting one of their favorite places with one of the happiest days of their lives. Together, they built a home known for laughter, generosity, unforgettable Halloween celebrations, and a standing invitation for family and friends.

For all she accomplished professionally, Mary Alice never confused success with significance.

Family came first.

She showed up for her husband, parents, her siblings, her nieces, and her nephews. She was the one who helped carry life’s responsibilities, remembered what mattered, and made time for the people she loved, no matter what else demanded her attention. During her time in Rochester, she was devoted to Alice and Tom’s health and well being. When Tom passed away, MAC and Jeff lovingly cared for Alice the last four years of her life during many health problems.

In a family of so many people, MAC was quite simply the glue that held the family together. She was the first one there when a brother, sister, niece or nephew needed help or advice. She planned family trips to Buffalo Bills games and family reunions. MAC had a special relationship with her sisters and enjoyed trips and spa days. She was an amazing aunt to her 15 nieces and nephews. She helped them navigate school and friendship challenges, career advice and interpersonal conflicts.

Throughout her life, MAC was a devoted animal lover. She treated them as the family they were! After graduating college, she had Brandy, a chocolate lab and cats Luna and Tara. Together with Jeff, she had Dixie and Delta, Bella and Lucky, Nellie and Buddy. She showered them with love. Many colleagues told us it was a treat when they could spot Bella or Nellie in her home office for a meeting.

MAC was a huge Buffalo Bills fan. She followed the team faithfully throughout her life and received encouraging messages from former quarterback and cancer survivor Jim Kelly and special swag from the team. She was so dedicated she even had her stylist sculpt and dye the word “Bills” in red and blue during one haircut. A Bills’ win was an excellent day for MAC.

Talk with the people who knew Mary Alice, and you’ll hear different stories: a conversation that changed the course of a career; a kindness never forgotten; a golf trip; a football game, or an afternoon that somehow became an evening because no one wanted to leave.

She was someone who simply was there when it mattered.

The details will be different. The feeling won’t be.

Mary Alice made people feel like they belonged.

She leaves behind a family that is closer, friendships that are stronger, and a community that will continue finding its way back to one another because she showed us how.

She is survived by her husband Jeff Heston, her sisters: Mary Jane (Don) Selle, Susan (Bob) Borsh, Sharon Gruitza, and Carolyn (Greg) Fiume, her brothers: Mark (Debi) Colello, Robert (Sunny) Pratt, Paul (Holly) Colello and Michael (Maria) Pratt; her sister-in-law Margaret Pratt, nieces and nephews: Kate Ridings, Kristen Huskey, Jennifer (Larry Joe) Graham, Danielle (John) Laird, Connor Pratt, Matthew (Jess) Colello. Tony Zigo, Corrin Pratt, Andrew Colello, Samantha (Adam) Malinowski, Daniel and Tom Fiume, Sara and Eli Pratt and 12 great-nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Alice Pratt, Nicholas Colello and Tom Pratt, her grandparents, Stephen and Mary Nowicki, Mary and Anthony Colello and Celestine Pratt; her brother, David Pratt, her nephew, Kyle Colello and close friends Barb Vasicek Mosher and Melissa Boyle.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Spectrum Support Program at the Rochester Institute of Technology. https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/74452/donations/new?designation=SpectrumSupportEndowedFund Please put In Memory of Mary Alice Heston in the comments. SSP is a program that allows neurodiverse students to have resources and services to be successful at RIT and in their career through individual coaching, social engagement, job readiness and peer mentorship.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday October 17th at John J. Kaczor Funeral Home, 5453 Southwestern Blvd. Hamburg, NY 14075 from noon to 2 pm with a luncheon to follow at The Columns Banquets, 2221 Transit Rd. Elma, NY 14059. If you are attending the luncheon, please RSVP to Mark Colello at [email protected].