Johnson & Johnson celebrates Rutgers and its alumni who are company employees

Johnson & Johnson and Rutgers University started a new tradition in 2025 that celebrates their enduring partnership and the alumni that connect them.

The relationship between the global healthcare giant and Rutgers dates back to 1886 when the company started its operations a short walk from the university’s Old Queens Campus in New Brunswick. The two institutions remain influential in the city’s evolving redevelopment as a hub of healthcare, innovation and collaboration.

At the heart of the celebration were the Rutgers graduates who currently work at Johnson & Johnson. At the company’s headquarters on an autumn night, nearly 200 of them attended an event with company executives and deans from across the university,  including Rutgers Business School Dean Lei Lei.

Pictured above: Lei Lei, dean of Rutgers Business School; Alberto Cuitino, dean, School of Engineering; Vanessa Broadhurst, Johnson & Johnson, executive vice president, global corporate affairs; Joaquin Duato, Johnson & Johnson, chairman and CEO; Donna Nickitas, dean, Rutgers University - Camden, School of Nursing; Brian Smith, Johnson & Johnson, chief procurement officer; Laura Lawson, dean, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences; Juli Wade, dean, School of Arts and Sciences; and Eric Jahn, senior associate dean for community and global health, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. 

Among the crowd was Johnson & Johnson Chairman and CEO Joaquin Duato, and Keena Arbuthnot, executive vice president of academic affairs who appeared on behalf of Rutgers University President Tate. One of the oldest alums in the crowd, Robert Campbell, former vice chairman of the board of directors of Johnson & Johnson, and a Rutgers Business School MBA alumnus, received a shout out for turning 92.

In his remarks, Duato described a “strong partnership” that has resulted in a pharmacy school as well as a pipeline of employee talent – some 1,500 Rutgers alumni work across the company’s operations.

“Today, the relationship is stronger than ever,” Duato said. “Let’s keep building on that.”

The event featured a performance by the Rutgers Glee Club, a fireside chat between Rutgers Business School professor Hussein Issa and Mike Comprelli, vice president of Technology for Quality, Compliance and Sustainability.

The fireside chat explored Rutgers Business School’s academic research in how emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence are being used in business to improve auditing and detect fraud. Technology is also being studied to improve the quality of patient care, Comprelli said.

“What role can JNJ play in bridging the gap between academic and industry,” Comprelli asked Issa. “Events like these can make a huge difference in making connections,” Issa said. “You know what questions need to be asked. We can help you come up with innovative solutions.”

The event was organized by Johnson & Johnson and Rutgers Business School’s Alumni and Corporate Engagement team. The healthcare giant is among the Top 3 employers of Rutgers Business School graduates.

In addition to Campbell, the crowd included Rutgers MBA alumnus Len DeCandia, the company’s retired chief procurement officer.