From left are Michael Braxton from Athenex, Ned Divine of the Western New York Developmental Disabilities Service Office, workers Peter Palumbo, Stacey Wright, Shawn Reidy, Autumn Klisiewicz, Jake Driscoll, Shawn Brant and Alexa Buckley from Athenex.

From the beginning, Athenex pledged to employ individuals from the community as well as to be a local business partner, fostering a mutual relationship with all of Chautauqua County and the individuals living within it.

As Athenex’s new state of the art facility on Lakeshore Drive in Dunkirk establishes itself in the community, the impact on the region is at the forefront of the company’s leadership minds. Athenex’s Outreach Committee chairpersons are Alexa Buckley, Engineering Document Control Coordinator, and Michael Braxton, Manufacturing GMP Production Cleaner, who are both locally born and raised.

“Having the opportunity of an innovative pharmaceutical plant in our backyard is beyond exciting. It takes our manufacturing economy and pushes it to the 21st century,” he said.

One of the first major commitments Athenex has accomplished is partnering with the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities.

The New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities supports people with developmental disabilities to live, work and take part in their community.

The agency’s Supported Employment program is a person-centered employment planning and support service that provides assistance for people with disabilities to obtain, maintain, or advance in self-employment or in competitive, integrated employment in the general workforce, for which the individual is compensated at or above the minimum wage in a job that meets the individual’s personal and career goals.

“In partnership with Athenex, the Western New York Developmental Disabilities Service Office successfully placed several people in employment at the Athenex Dunkirk facility where they enjoy meaningful relations with their co-workers, experience personal growth, and live richer lives,” said Karen Colaiacovo, Development Disabilities Program Specialist.

Athenex employs a work crew of six individuals from the agency. The disabled community continues to be the most vulnerable and under employed. The crew comes in Monday through Friday to assist Plant Services to clean the factory.

Keeping 409,000 square feet clean takes a lot of elbow grease. Robert Keem, Athenex Vice President of New York Technical Operation, stated, “The partnership has been a great success, and the team is doing a great job for the site.”

Buckley added, “The OPWDD crew always puts a smile on our face and are a joy to work with. We are grateful for their time and great work ethic!

“This is just the starting point for our location,” she said. “We would like to be involved with the community at multiple levels. We look forward to growing our presence in the area.”