Guardian Pharmacy of Jacksonville, a locally-owned member of Guardian Pharmacy Services, one of the nation’s largest long-term care (LTC) pharmacy companies, today announced the acquisition of the LTC division of Atkinson’s Pharmacy. The newly acquired pharmacy will operate as Guardian Pharmacy of Jacksonville and will continue serving existing LTC customers and their residents. This strategic expansion comes as Guardian Pharmacy of Jacksonville celebrates 15 years in business providing exceptional pharmacy services to assisted living and skilled nursing communities throughout Florida’s First Coast region.
The acquisition increases the pharmacy’s resident customer base by more than 30 percent. Rob Allen, CEO and president of Atkinson’s Pharmacy, will continue working with Guardian to ensure a seamless transition. In addition, all current employees from Atkinson’s Pharmacy will join the Guardian team, nearly doubling the pharmacy’s staff and will move to Guardian Pharmacy of Jacksonville’s technologically advanced facility.
“This acquisition allows us to further grow our business and deliver the Guardian difference to more LTC communities in Northeast Florida,” said Khristy McClelland, president of Guardian Pharmacy of Jacksonville. “Opening in 2005, we were the first Guardian Pharmacy location established in Florida. Since that time, we’ve enjoyed continued success by putting an emphasis on customers, employees and the communities we serve. The expertise and shared values of Rob and his team will allow us to further strengthen that commitment.”
“We’ve enjoyed more than 25 years of success in LTC pharmacy serving our senior living communities and their residents,” said Allen. “Before making the final decision to retire from this industry, it was important for us to find an owner who shares our passion for senior care and is committed to our same standards for excellent customer service. Khristy and her staff at Guardian Jacksonville are a perfect match. They not only have a successful track record but also embrace our same values and culture. We are particularly grateful for the guidance we received throughout this process from our banking team.”
As part of the Guardian Pharmacy Services family, Guardian Pharmacy of Jacksonville benefits from the company’s local-autonomy business model. This industry-unique model ensures that the local team can focus on customer service to meet the specialized needs of its communities and residents, while Guardian’s Corporate Support Team assists with the day-to-day business operations, including data analytics, payroll, HR, IT and more.
“We are pleased to have had the opportunity to bring these two exceptional LTC pharmacies together. We believe Guardian’s acquisition of Atkinson’s is tremendous for the Jacksonville market giving residents and their communities a stronger cohesive medication provider. Identifying a perfect fit for Rob and his team was pivotal to the success of the transaction. We appreciate the professionalism of Guardian throughout and everyone involved who worked tirelessly to achieve an ideal outcome,” said Ira Cammeyer, CEO, Harbor Healthcare Consultants, who represented Atkinson’s as its exclusive M&A advisor.
Founded in 2004, Guardian Pharmacy Services’ 37 locations now serve more than 128,000 residents throughout 26 states. For more information, visit guardianpharmacy.net.