Hollie Nivens

Richmond County Daily Journal

The North Carolina Board of Pharmacy has a new member, Ellis Lazelle Marks Jr.

“This is my greatest accomplishment, along with my family,” said Marks, a pharmacist. He was sworn in Monday by Kathy Gainey, Richmond County clerk of superior court.

Marks is a native of Rockingham, born on High Street. He is a 1960 graduate of Rockingham High and 1965 graduate of the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. He did not get the desire to become a pharmacist until speaking with some of his classmates while attending Campbell University where he studied pre-pharmacy.

Marks started out working in Lancaster, then he worked at Bristow Drug Company for five years. He along with his family has owned Medical Center Pharmacy located at 805 Long Drive since 1976 and he bought it in 1977. They opened a second store in 1997, Medical Park Pharmacy located at 921 Long Drive Suite 105 near Richmond Memorial Hospital.

“Being able to contribute to the community through the drug store, is a great accomplishment,” his wife Judy said.

The couple has two sons Jon Marks and his wife Caroline Marks are both pharmacist, and Gregory Marks works as a pharmacist in the store, and his wife Laurie Marks works as a nurse at FirstHealth Richmond Memorial Hospital. Judy is the only member of the family not in the medical field, she is a retired school teacher. She did most of her career at Rohanen High School.

Marks, was chosen by his peers and appointed by Gov. Beverly Perdue out of hundreds of candidates. The Board of Pharmacy certified the election at its July 21 meeting. From that date until now Marks had training requirements for occupational licensing board members and spent time learning board operations and procedures.

“My plans are to see what else I can contribute to pharmacy in North Carolina,” Marks said.

Marks serves on the Board of Trustees at Wingate University, on the Dean’s Advisory Board at Campbell University and the Dean’s Advisory Board at Campbell University in its pharmacy department.

“Lazelle, is a caring man, he loves his family but he also loves Richmond County,” Gainey said. “The personal relationship that he has with his customers, this is the kind of pharmacist he is.”

“I wouldn’t be here without the support of Richmond County,” said Marks. “You don’t know how much the people in Richmond County mean to me.”

Hollie Nivens can be reached at (910) 997-3111 ext. 19 or by e-mailing at hnivens@yourdailyjournal.com