From humble beginnings and with an inspired concept back in 2004, Guardian has evolved to become synonymous with innovative long-term care pharmacy services, dedicated to delivering unparalleled value to our clients and the individuals they serve.
More than two decades ago, our founders—Fred Burke, David Morris, and Kendall Forbes—realized that pharmacy management teams who receive significant ownership and authority to run their businesses at the local level can achieve more efficient operations and deliver more personalized, community-centered pharmacy care.
Co-founders Fred Burke, David Morris, Kendall Forbes
This team of industry veterans set out to create a better business model by building partnerships between local operations and a national support team, thus allowing each pharmacy to operate as its own independent business.
From a single pharmacy location in 2004 to our nationwide network of pharmacies today, it’s these principles of local autonomy and a personalized approach to care that form the foundation of Guardian’s sustained success.
It was here, in our first pharmacy in Phoenix, Arizona, that our visionary founding partner, John Saliba, RPh, recognized an unmet need for pharmacy services tailored to the unique needs of assisted living communities.
His pioneering approach infused assisted living-focused service into our brand’s DNA—a core tenet that continues to set us apart in the industry today.
Each of our locally operated pharmacies bring their business and pharmaceutical expertise to the table, along with an abundance of knowledge about their local markets. And our national team in Atlanta shares extensive industry and business expertise with our nationwide network of pharmacies, along with support services for functions like HR, IT, finance, marketing, and analytics.
With our partner pharmacies throughout the United States, we have embarked on a path of steady and strategic growth. And we continue to add new like-minded pharmacy entrepreneurs each year who share our commitment to better client service and better healthcare outcomes through local autonomy.