Delaware North had its largest group of participants in more than 20 years during Thursday’s annual J.P. Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge, a 3.5-mile road race that starts and ends in Buffalo’s historic Delaware Park.
A group of 137 runners — and nearly two dozen others who came to cheer on co-workers and join the post-race celebration — came together from Delaware North’s global headquarters, KeyBank Center, New Era Field, Buffalo Niagara International Airport, the Amherst campus, New York State Travel Plazas, Patina 250 and The Westin Buffalo.
“We’re excited this year to field a team with associates from not only our global headquarters here in downtown Buffalo but also from our operating locations throughout Western New York,” Frank Mendicino, executive vice president and chief administrative officer, said before the event. “We have more than 3,400 associates throughout the region, so the Corporate Challenge is a great opportunity for our local associates to participate in the event and engage with one another. It’s terrific for team-building, good-spirited competition and greater associate engagement.”
The event was catered by the Delaware North Sportservice team from KeyBank Center, which also catered the tent for host J.P. Morgan Chase.
As for the race itself, Michael Halter was Delaware North’s fastest runner, with a time of 21:22 — which put him inside the top 100 in the 15,000-person race, according to times posted today on the J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge website. Ashley Blossom was Delaware North’s top female finisher at 29:39.