Profile - Karen Powell

Twenty years ago, Karen Whitehead Powell left an upwardly mobile position as a district manager over a number of pharmacies to become a hometown pharmacist in locally-owned Parks Pharmacy.

And she's never looked back.

Last week the staff at Parks Pharmacy, owned and operated by Steve McElmurray, joined in the celebration of Powell's 20th anniversary. From the beginning, Powell saw the folks at Parks as an extension of her family, and the feeling is mutual. The staff had planned several surprises for Powell during her anniversary week, and she admitted that she was moved to tears on more than one occasion as the celebration continued.

Pharmacy customers were encouraged to sign the mat on a replica of a congratulatory ad that appeared in The Star last week. McElmurray put together a collage of memorabilia in honor of the 20th anniversary. The collection included the first Parks Pharmacy ad with Powell's name listed as a staff member, another ad welcoming Powell to Parks and an article that appeared in "Keeping an Eye on Business with Mim (Woodring)" that appeared in The Star in March 1992.

In the initial introduction of Powell, the 20-year-old article noted the new Parks pharmacist graduated from North Augusta High School and from USC. While at Carolina, she was president of the Student American Pharmacy Association and in the top 10 nationally in the Patient-Counselor Competition (after winning USC's competition.)

Being in a locally owned pharmacy has meant Powell had an opportunity to do much more than she could dream of with a corporate pharmacy, she said.

"We offer full service," she said in comparing what she does at Parks to what she did as the district manager of several Kroger pharmacies.

"I have the opportunity to do more here," Powell said, listing compounding specialty products as one example. She pointed out she will often be called on to make a topical application of a drug for someone - or even a pet. She said one advantage to a locally-compounded prescription is that the cream can be applied directly to an affected area, rather than taking a pill which then may bring on other concerns - stomach problems, etc.

"And we can meet our clients' equipment needs," she said, maintaining "there are just not that many (pharmacies) who are able to give that kind of service.

But at the core of her commitment to Parks Pharmacy is "we are truly a part of this community," she said. "We're there when our 'customers' get married, when they go to college, when they have children and even in death."

She admitted the opportunities and maybe the (self-inflicted) responsibilities are not the same in a larger chain compared to the local drug store.

"I don't mind getting calls at home. It's just part of the job," she smiled, explaining it's not out of the ordinary for someone to call and, in an emergency, ask, "Can you meet me at the hospital? ... Can you meet me at the store ...?"

"It's all part of being accepted as part of the town," she said of her own life and of Parks Pharmacy, in general.

Powell explained the need for community was a big factor in her decision to come to work at Parks two decades ago.

At the time, her daughter was about 1 year old - "She'll be 21 this month," revealed Powell, who, with her husband Ken, eventually had two daughters. Ken is an engineer at SRS. Lauren is in a nursing program now, while little sister, Caroline, is 17 and a junior at North Augusta High School.

She said working at Parks has made it possible for her to be there more readily for her children. "It's rare to miss a church program or a ball game or an awards banquet," the pharmacist said. "I could be a mom, too."

She admitted that foundation with her family has great dividends as her girls grow into adulthood. "I like to travel, and it's neat when your kids want to spend time with you," she declared, noting that, by working at Parks, she is better able to travel when the opportunity arises.

And, she acknowledged, the folks at Parks Pharmacy have served as her second family.

"When my mother was living in China, June (Faglier) stepped in as surrogate grandmother," Powell said, adding her kids had many "extra" aunts, uncles and grandparents in the form of Parks staff, as well as through the store and community friendships she has made and kept.

Powell said working at Parks has meant she has been able to see what it is like to be a part of a community.

She and her family are active at TrueNorth Church. Having first been members of the First Baptist Church family, Powell said she saw it as an "incredible opportunity" to be a part of a newly forming church.

She noted again that by living, worshiping and working in North Augusta, she doesn't just see her drug-store contacts at Parks. She has made lasting ties with folks in all walks of life in North Augusta.

In 1992, McElmurray told The Star, "We are extremely proud to have Karen join our staff. She has excellent credentials professionally and a caring personality for people who look to a pharmacist for much information on their medications." Twenty years later, McElmurray has not been disappointed.

And the feeling is still mutual. "I'm thankful to be a part of this," Powell concluded.