Fulcrum Pharmacy (Fulcrum) is a private, woman owned pharmacy corporation founded by Christy Crkvenac in 2003. After having spent many years as a regional director for a large national long term care (LTC) pharmacy company, Crkvenac felt there was an opportunity to better service those members of the local community who had long been underserved by large LTC and chain retail pharmacies. She assembled a staff of pharmacists and professionals that had more than six decades of combined experience providing specialty pharmacy and consulting services designed to meet the unique needs of the clients they serve. In 2008 she founded Radius Rx Direct, similar to Fulcrum but offering services to a broader population of special needs clients. Both companies provide specialized and customized services to meet the unique needs of agencies that serve special needs persons in Delaware, including those with mental or behavioral health issues, physical disabilities, substance abuse challenges and those in correctional facilities or homeless shelters. By providing specialized services, including special packaging, delivery options, reimbursement and insurance expertise, and a customized formulary that remains flexible to suit the needs of the client, Fulcrum gained a reputation for providing exceptional pharmacy service. Now in its eighth year, Fulcrum is a fully certified Women Owned Enterprise filling thousands of prescriptions each month. Fulcrum is a shining example of how health care service can be improved without an accompanying increase in cost by using a combination of best practices and innovative methods. In 2003 with the help of SCORE counseling and a $200,000 SBA 7(a) loan (now paid in full) Fulcrum Pharmacy opened its doors to the LTC market. Crkvenac was fortunate in being able to take with her several employees who gave up the relative safety of a large, public company for the uncertainty of a start-up business. Fulcrum Pharmacy opened with just one customer. Having made a commitment to her employees to make the pharmacy a financial success, Crkvenac paid herself no salary for that first year to keep the company’s cash flow sufficient. Thanks to a sound strategy, innovative service, and a group of valiant customers, within 18 months of start-up, Fulcrum grew from a fledgling company to a viable force in the local LTC pharmacy market. Over the past seven years, Crkvenac’s businesses have shown steady, managed growth in their sales and profitability. Faced with more than the usual adversity encountered by a startup, her solid leadership and vision has resulted in an average annual growth rate of 13 percent since its inception and an increase in jobs from six to 29 employees. While the success of the business is satisfying, she is most gratified by the feedback from the organizations that her companies serve. The real motivation stems from the fuller lives of her patients as a result of the innovation and care that her companies provide in delivering their products. Crkvenac serves on the board of Connections Community Service Programs and is a committee member and sponsor at many local charities. Additionally, Fulcrum donated significant amounts of pharmaceutical and medical supplies to the Haitian Disaster relief effort. Crkvenac resides in Hockessin, Del. with husband Todd and their two sons.