BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Amneal Pharmaceuticals co-chief executive officer Chintu Patel will be the featured keynote speaker at the commencement ceremony for Long Island University’s Arnold and Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

The event will be held on May 7 at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts on the LIU Post campus in Greenvale, N.Y.

Chintu Patel

“LIU Pharmacy’s vision to advance the safety, efficacy and efficiency of the industry and the evolution of its professionals makes it a perfect fit for Mr. Patel, a leader in the pharmaceutical industry,” stated John Pezzuto, dean of LIU Pharmacy.

With two locations on Long Island, Amneal is the nation’s seventh-largest generic drug manufacturer. Patel, also co-founder and co-chairman of the company, has spent his career developing high-quality and affordable medicines to benefit people worldwide, LIU noted. He has more than 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical sector, starting his career at Eckerd Pharmacy. Patel also has been recognized by his peers on a number of occasions, including the 2011 Ernst & Young National Entrepreneur of the Year Life Sciences Award.

“We aim to work with leaders like Mr. Patel to create transformational opportunities for our students and faculty to do impactful work all over the globe,” Pezzuto added.

LIU Pharmacy’s 2017 graduating class includes 104 Ph.D. and Masters of Science students and 177 students with Doctor of Pharmacy degrees. Also slated to be recognized at the ceremony with an honorary degree is LIU Pharmacy alumnus Ian Jay Ginsberg, president of C.O. Bigelow Apothecaries and Bigelow Trading Ltd.

“The class of 2017 has demonstrated a record level of excellence and has helped raise LIU Pharmacy to new heights,” commented Kimberly R. Cline, president of LIU. “As industry leaders, Mr. Patel and Mr. Ginsberg highlight LIU Pharmacy’s reach into the heart of the pharmaceutical industry, and our shared commitment to quality, integrity and innovation.”