Wilmington, Del. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) today announced Christy Crkvenac of Wilmington, Delaware as one of 18 State Small Business People of the Year who have been selected by the Obama administration to be highlighted as a ‘Champion of Change’ as part of the Winning the Future initiative (www.whitehouse.gov/champions). To further President Obama’s plan to “out-innovate, out-educate and out-build the rest of the world”, the White House is featuring small businesses that are doing innovative things in their communities. Crkvenacis owner of Fulcrum Pharmacy and Radius Rx Direct in Wilmington.

Christy Crkvenac of Fulcrum Pharmacy and Radius Rx Direct in Wilmington will be honored as SBA’s Delaware Small Business Persons of the Year. Fulcrum Pharmacy and Radius Rx Direct 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. 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 Long Term Care (LTC) pharmacy market.  They were nominated by George Mills of Wilmington Trust.

“We are honored to be recognized as one of the top 54 small businesses in the country,” said Crkvenac, CEO and president of both companies. “Our success would not have been possible without my husband Todd,  the support we receive from our family, friends and the wonderful work team at Fulcrum and Radius” 

“First and foremost we want to thank the SBA and Wilmington Trust for the financial support they have provided the business over the years.”

After having spent many years as a regional director for a large national 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.

 “Commitment, dedication and perseverance were key values that Christy Crkvenac used to bring life to her business plan,” said Jayne Armstrong, district director of the SBA’s Delaware District Office. “They continue to serve her well as this outstanding husband and wife team achieve the ultimate American dream of small business success.”

Each year the President of the United States declares a week in May as National Small Business Week. This year’s celebration took place May 18-20 in Washington, D.C. The Crkvenac’s and 50 other winners from the other 49 states and Puerto Rico competed for the title of National Small Business Person of the Year during the Washington event.

In addition, SBA’s 68 district offices throughout the country host local events similar to Delaware’s June 7th celebration to recognize their state and local award winners. All of the other honorees compete with winners from the Mid-Atlantic region for SBA’s regional awards and those winners then compete for the national awards in their respective categories.

In addition to her recognition at the state level, one of Delaware’s honorees is being recognized by the SBA at the regional level. Dr. Ja-Neair Macklin, founder of Direct Sales and Home Based Business Network was selected from winners from Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. She too will compete for the national award in her category.

For more information on the award winners or the SBA’s Small Business Week Dinner, contact James Provo at (302) 573-6294 x 227 or james.provo@sba.gov  As a federal agency, the SBA‘s mission is to maintain and strengthen the nation’s economy by aiding, counseling, assisting and protecting the interests of small businesses and by providing loan guarantees through private sector lenders to help qualified small businesses secure financing on reasonable terms.