EBENSBURG —
Even as a kid, Frank Rezk loved the whole idea of business. From competition to meeting the needs of customers to building relationships, it all just made sense to him. It’s no surprise that at age 19 he ventured out on his own.
“As a teenager I worked in my father’s business, Indiana Medical Supply, and saw how important customer focus is and that if you cared about the patient, the referring provider and your employees, you could build something to be proud of,” said Rezk, president and CEO of Penn Home Medical Supply Co. LLC.
Based in Ebensburg, Penn Home Medical Supply works with physicians, hospitals and other providers to help patients live more comfortably in their own homes. The company provides home respiratory services such as oxygen, along with medical equipment such as wheelchairs and hospital beds. Customers range from senior citizens on Medicare to working adults who need help with respiratory needs, sleep apnea, or other conditions.
“We like to say we help everyone breathe easier – patients, our referring providers, hospitals and patients’ families,” Rezk said.
The global medical equipment and supplies industry is a $273 billion industry – and growing, according to market research by Espicom, a United Kingdom business intelligence firm. Predictions show the industry’s worth could climb to $349 billion by 2016. The simple reason is demand, and that’s true whether a company is based in Cambria County or halfway around the world.
Rezk started Penn Home Medical Supply in 1998 in Northern Cambria. The business, which now boasts 25 employees, grew steadily for 14 years. The company now operates three additional sites in Johnstown, New Paris and Ebensburg. In 2007, recognizing the need for more space, Penn Home Medical Supply leased a 13,000-square-foot office and warehousing facility at the Cambria County Industrial Park to serve as its corporate headquarters.
“We saw the potential to better serve our referring providers and their patients by having an office warehouse and retail space in the industrial park. It’s a great location,” Rezk said. “It’s really all about having an integrated system, and the warehouse is at the center of that system. The warehouse drives our logistical supply chain process by enabling our team to quickly fill inventory and deliver to our patients in the most cost effective manner.”
Penn Home Medical Supply serves customers in nine counties: Cambria, Somerset, Blair, Bedford, Indiana, Huntingdon, Clearfield, Centre and Fulton.
Rezk said he revisits the company’s strategic plan annually with vision sessions designed to map out where Penn Home Medical Supply is, what’s working and what can be improved.
“It’s never been easy, but I’ve also never looked back,” Rezk said of his decision to start the business. “I love it.”
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