The storyline is familiar now: Pfizer closes its Ann Arbor campus, new jobless pharma techies take a leap of faith and create their own start-up. The tale that isn't told is how Pfizer's closing attracted other companies to set up Ann Arbor offices.
Cincinatti-based Kendle is just one of those companies. It didn’t have an Ann Arbor office before the pharma giant's closure but it did soon after.
"A lot of talented people were leaving Pfizer and we wanted to hire those that wanted to stay in the Ann Arbor area," says Mel Kropko, director of global clinical development for North America for Kendle.
The pharmaceutical development company now employs 26 people at its Ann Arbor office. There are another 6-8 people who work regionally but use the Tree Town office regularly. They're part of Kendle's 4,000 world-wide work force.
The Ann Arbor office specializes mainly in project management and clinical development. Even though the company is planning to keep growing, it plans to consolidate its gain in Ann Arbor for the time being.
Source: Mel Kropko, director of global clinical development for North America for Kendle
Writer: Jon Zemke
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