It all began with education…

In the fall of 2021, our co-founders found themselves in a WeWork conference space, discussing the intricacies of the specialty pharmacy industry: the history; the need for it; the processes to support it; the technologies that are being built to optimize it; and so much more. Education surrounding the nuance of the specialty industry turned into curiosity, which turned into a desire to do more.

Fast forward to the spring of 2022: one of our founders himself was faced with a “specialty” scenario that was mishandled in a community setting, taking months to gain approval for a necessary medication. Even though he was fully aware of what should have taken place to get started as soon as possible, he stepped aside to watch the process unfold.  If he knew what should happen and it was taking months, what about patients who don’t know what should happen?

It was then that Zeal came to be: a way to implement efficiencies in the specialty process so patients could receive the care they deserve, all while leveraging the best technologies available (or helping to create them) to bring the special touch back to the industry that pioneered the concept.

So, what’s with the Zebra?

It’s commonly taught in medical schools: “When you hear hoofbeats behind you, don’t expect to see a zebra.” Prescribers should anticipate more common diagnoses when they see patients.  In specialty pharmacy, particularly with rare disease, we see the zebras.

The zebra is the official symbol of rare diseases in the United States. Our logo represents the uniqueness of each disease, and we frequently change the colors of our stripes to represent the advocacy initiatives of the patients we serve.

Our Co-Founders

Jonathan Ogurchak, PharmD, CSP CEO & Co-Founder

A specialty pharmacy veteran, having served in numerous roles across both PBM-owned and independent organizations for the last 14 years.

Currently, he is the CEO & Founder of STACK, a pharmacy information management platform designed to curate and organize information necessary to run successful pharmacies, professional associations, and higher education institutions.  He also recently launched OnQueue, a highly customizable, technology-first workflow platform built to optimize the patient journey from start to finish for specialty pharmacies and medical clinics.

Dr. Ogurchak is an adjunct faculty through Duquesne University and the University of Pittsburgh, precepts pharmacy students virtually at 21 schools of pharmacy nationwide, focused on specialty pharmacy programs and processes, and has served as Education Consultant for the National Association of Specialty Pharmacy.

Brenden Harper CFO & Co-Founder

A healthcare industry veteran dedicated to relationships, rapid business development, and sales growth, while upholding ethical standards.

Mr. Harper is currently CEO at Wicklow Enterprises, an independent provider of medical devices to leading industry specialists born out of a desire to offer a transparent service. He is a recognized leader in the spine community, having served in various capacities with leading medical device manufacturers over the last 16 years.

Purpose Statement

To optimize the patient experience

Our Vision

To become the standard for what care SHOULD BE across the specialty industry

Our Values

Hospitality

We foster relationships with those we encounter, approaching each situation with empathy and respect.

Excellence

We approach everything we do to the best of our ability with efficiency and consistency, hoping to leave each day better than the one before.

Innovation

We pursue creative solutions that push the boundaries of what’s expected in healthcare

Character

We humbly approach our role in the greater specialty community with integrity, optimism, and selflessness.

Ambition

We knowingly raise the bar for ourselves and others, through hard work, grit, and determination.