Roche praised for being true to Jersey

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Hoffmann-La Roche was lauded last Thursday throughout the introduction of the Hackensack University Health System-Seton Hall school of medicine and research facility that will be created on the campus it is vacating in North Jersey.

Tom Lyon, Roche vice president and site manager, said the company couldn’t imagine being anything but a good corporate citizen.

“Roche has a legacy of being on this campus,” he said. “Roche has been a part of this community for more than 80 years.”

It’s what drove to company to be a partner in the process of redevelopment.

Robert C. Garrett, the Hackensack CEO, said that was obvious from the first meeting.

“They really had a great vision in the redevelopment of this property and they saw the value of the Seton Hall-Hackensack school of medicine and research institute,” he said. “It really is so consistent with how the property was used for over 80 years. They have just been tremendous to work with.”

That’s not always the case when a company pulls of the state.

Caren Franzini, the former head of the EDA who was brought in as a consultant on the redevelopment of the project, has seen it all.

“I’ve met a lot of corporations and they don’t all act like this,” she said. “I’m so impressed by the importance they are giving to their legacy and reputation.

“They want this site to work. After all, everyone still calls it the Roche site. It’s so important to their name and their company to do it the right way.”

Lyon agreed. And he is happy the site will live on as a difference-maker in health care.