Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Grand Opening

Good morning!

I am so pleased you could join us to share in this incredible milestone for UB and for our community.

We are thrilled to share this historic moment with so many key partners and friends—from our elected officials, civic leaders and community members, to our higher education community, and our partners in research, business and industry.

As Dr. Cain said, we have many people to thank.

I would like to take a moment to recognize a few honored guests, including:

• New York State Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul
• SUNY Trustees Eunice Lewin
• Ricardo Azziz, SUNY Chief Officer of Academic Health and Hospital Affairs
• Jeremy Jacobs, chair of the UB Council, and members of the UB Council
• Members of the UB Foundation, including chair Greg Bauer
• Members of the Western New York legislative delegation 

And our partners in health care, including:

• Jody Lomeo, President and CEO of Kaleida Health
• Candace Johnson, President and CEO of Roswell Park Cancer Institute
• and Thomas Quatroche, President and CEO of ECMC.

A decade ago, we envisioned moving the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences downtown.

Six years ago, our vision came into sharper focus when we broke ground at this very location.

And today, we gather here to celebrate the realization of our bold vision—a 21^st century medical school where physicians, clinical researchers and medical educators can share new knowledge, test cutting-edge ideas and make life-saving discoveries.

We are so grateful that Governor Cuomo shared our vision.

From the very beginning, he saw the great potential in moving the Jacobs School to the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, and he recognized the pivotal role it could play in the remarkable transformation of our great city.

Many thanks to Governor Cuomo, for signing NYSUNY 2020 into law, for sharing our vision for the future of our university and our community, and for your continued and steadfast commitment in support of this vision.

Governor Cuomo and our Western New York delegation have been dedicated to transforming Buffalo into a world-class destination for the medical education, clinical research and patient care.

We would not be here celebrating this moment without the strong support and advocacy of our elected leadership, starting with the governor.

As I look around this beautiful building, I remember the first time I saw HOK’s renderings of this building.

The world-class design was a sight to behold. But to gaze upon the magnificent finished product is to fully appreciate it for the breathtaking building it is.

We have many partners to thank for this—from the architects, construction managers and contractors to the skilled workers who built it.

While this beautiful building has redefined Buffalo’s skyline, it is the people teaching, training and conducting research inside who will redefine the future of medicine for our region and beyond.

They will embark on productive collaborations with our valued health care partners on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus and throughout Western New York. They will work toward providing enhanced clinical care for the greater health and wellness of our community. And they will mentor the next generation of forward-thinking physicians and physician-scientists.

From, our founding as a private medical school just steps from where we are gathered today, UB has always been a forward-thinking institution.

We have never been content to stand still. And this magnificent new building in the heart of the Buffalo medical corridor symbolizes our pursuit of enduring excellence.

Enhancing the quality of life for our communities has always been a core aspect of UB’s mission.

And we know that the students we educate, and the discoveries and treatments generated here, will save lives and improve the quality of life for people far into the future.

Together, we are helping shape the future of medicine.

And because of this dedication, I believe the future of medicine here in Buffalo is bright indeed.

To be sure, we would not be here today celebrating this bright future without the support, generosity and commitment of Jeremy Jacobs and his family, in whose honor the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences is named.

Mr. Jacobs and his family are committed to our vision because they appreciate the tremendous impact that enhanced patient care and the life-saving therapies developed here will have on the communities we serve.

Their belief in our institution has transformed our dream of a world-class downtown medical school building into a concrete reality.

It is now my great pleasure to introduce Jeremy Jacobs, Chairman of Delaware North and Chairman of the UB Council.