Technology Category: Overall success story

The city of Hinckley is more likely to conjure up images of buzzards than as a hotbed for medical research and clinical trials, but Victoria Tifft wants to expand that narrow perception of her hometown.

Tifft, president and owner of Clinical Research Management Inc., founded her company in 1994 in the Washington, D.C.-area. She moved the company to Hinckley in 1996. Today, it has more than 10 years’ experience in drug and vaccine clinical trials and medical research, as well as statistical/data specialists and administrative personnel in the United States and abroad.

CRM has been awarded several government contracts to support the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases.

The company has completed more than 50 clinical trials since 2001 and has added to its offerings with the adoption of the Oracle Clinical database system. This has helped grow revenue by 75 percent during the last five years.

CRM has grown its work force from 79 employees in 2001 to more than 200 as of mid-2006. The wrap-up of a 2003 contract resulted in the loss of 50 employees, but CRM has experienced such dramatic growth that its employee base never fell below 150.

Tifft is committed to the success of the Northeast Ohio region, purchasing the Hinckley corporate office in 2002 and expanding the company’s professional staff from four to 17 in the last four years. CRM also contracts with local businesses to provide Web site, server, IT and accounting services.

As an innovative way to support the community, Tifft expects to further develop affiliations and collaborations with a local health system, the University of Akron, Stark State College, Omeris in Columbus and Medina County Economic Development.

CRM recently pledged $25,000 to local school science programs for the next five years and has developed two local high school internship programs to help young people gain professional experience before continuing their education at the university level.

HOW TO REACH: Clinical Research Management Inc., (330) 278-2343 or www.clinicalrm.com