Newspaper Page Text
6A
MARCH 7, 2002
Business
Augusta welcomes first black female owned pharmacy
By Shun Norris :
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
Becoming a pharmacist has
been a dream for Griselda Wil
sonsincethetenthgrade, never
did she imagine becoming the
first and only black female
pharmacist owning a phar
macy businessin the Augusta
area.
Since October of 2001, The
Medicine Shoppe has not only
been in the pharmacy busi
ness, but in the business of
truly caring for the customer
as well.
“The goal that weare trying
tostrive forisamore personal
relationship with the custom
ers so that they are comfort
able with us,” says Wilson.
After working for various
pharmacies in the area, Wil
son decided to branch out and
open a pharmacy of her own.
Noticing non-caringattitudes
in the pharmacy realm, Wil
son wanted to run a business
that she felt would be . . . well
better.
“Ireally wanted todo it and
felt that the way I wouldruna
business would be different
and stand out versus the
chains,” said Wilson.
Of course starting a busi
ness isn’t an easy task and
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The Aiken Technical Col
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table Microsoft Outlook lab
that can deliver realistic
Bob Williams,
Dwner
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Griselda Wilson Photo by Shun Norris
Wilson can vouch for that.
Rather than open the busi
ness in her name specifically,
shedecided tooperateundera
franchise. According to Wil
son, The Medicine Shoppe is
the largest independently
owned franchise in the na
tion.
When asked about the
amount of determination and
patience it takes to start a
business, Wilson gives a small
chuckle. “I was really, really,
prayerful about it before the
confirmation was actually
there to do it. It was always
training at a customer site.
“I can bring a little virtual
network to a customer site and
essentially set it up in a confer
ence room,” said Phillip Hare,
program manager of computers
and technology. “That is a great
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something that I wanted to
do, going through pharmacy
school, but really not believ
ing that it would happen at
all,” she said. “I met some
good people that kept inspir
ing me and kept encouraging
me to do it. And of course
saving.”
TheMedicine Shoppe accepts
all national insurance plans
including HMOs, Medicaid,
Peach Care, Georgiaand South
Carolina Medicaid, Blue Cross
Blue Shield and more. The
pharmacy also offers eight
health care screenings peryear
benefit to our customers.”
Microsoft Outlook is a popu
lar computer program used by
business and industry. It per
mits groups to share common
office tasks such as calendar
ing, scheduling and e-mailing.
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that are free to the public.
Discounts are offered to small
businesses, parents who have
children who are seven years
or younger, organizations,
groups, and those who do not
have insurance.
Wilson is one of two black
pharmacists that own busi
nesses in Augusta, the other
being Marshall Curtis who
owns Medical Villa Pharmacy.
Being the first black female
pharmacy owner in Augusta
is an honor in itself and in a
small way, Wilson has made
history.
“I'm very proud and very,
very thankful, truly giving all
the honor and the glory to God.
Just having a whole lot of faith
and determination that I could
do it,” Wilson shared. “Makes
me feel good, you know. Feels
really good. I feel that a lot of
female pharmacists could have
been the first, but people are
afraid tostep outin termsofjob
security. It’s still scary but it’s
something that I really wanted
to do.”
The Medicine Shoppe is lo
cated at 2416 Windsor Spring
Road and can be reached at
(706)772-7155.
Business hoursfor The Medi
cine Shoppe are Mon-Fri.; 9-6
and Sat.; 8-12.
For more information
about ATC’s portable
Microsoft Qutlook lab, con
tact the Continuing Educa
tion and Economic Develop
ment Division at (803) 593-
9231 ext. 1329.
BDPA-IT Leaders, CSRA Chapter’s
5% Annual
Information Technology (IT) Conference
“Staying on POINT with Emerging Technology!”
April 18-21, 2002
Paine College & Augusta Technical College Campuses
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4-Day Highlights: Townhall meeting, opening session, workshops, career expo, banquet, breakfast
Participating Companies includes: 77:¢ Walker Group, WSRC, Microsofi, Oracle, Comcast
Free Student Conference: Saturday, April 20, 2002 (Middle & High School Students)
Registration limited to the first 40 students. Registration begins April 1, 2002
Group registration allowed max 10 students (Chaperones a must!)
Student Highlights: Web Design, IT Career Forum, Software Demo
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April 18-20, 2002
ALa Carte Sessions:
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BDPA-CSRA, P.O. Box 14963, Augusta, Georgla 30919-0963
Visa & Master Card accepted via our web site onlyl
Minority ex-employees say
Polo Ralph Lauren favors
blond hair, blue eyes
By VERENA DOBNIK
Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK
Twoex-employeesofthe Polo
Ralph Lauren Corp. havefiled
a discrimination lawsuit
against the trendsetting com
pany, charging that it treats
blond, white employees better
than minorities.
“That image is a factor in
their pay, promotion and hir
ingpractices,” attorney Steven
Arenson, who represents the
plaintiffs, said Wednesday.
Henry Williams, who is
black,and Gerardeen Benedict,
whoisofFilipinodescent, filed
their suit Friday in Manhat
tan federal court.
Polo Ralph Lauren denies
all allegations, according to
company spokeswoman Ellen
Maguire. The company also
says it has worked with the
Equal Employment Opportu
nity Commission “to resolve
individual issues.”
The current suit stems from
atwo-year probebythe EEOC,
which found that Manhattan
based Polo sought to maintain
a “blond hair and blue eyes
image” and often promoted
such employees over more
qualified and experienced mi
norities.
While Williams worked for
the fashion house, from 1995
to 1999, he was in charge of
Polo’smerchandising displays
in various Manhattan retail
stores like Saks Fifth Avenue
and Bloomingdale’s.
“Other employees who did
thafijob got promoted tomuch
better-paying, higher posi
tions,” Arenson said. “He did
a great job and a very impor
tant job, and his reward was
more work at the same pay _
dirs 39,000 a year.”
Benedict, who has a doctor
atein psychology, worked asa
recruiter for Polo for 2 1/2
years starting in 1997. She
wasentrusted with overseeing
Polo’s affirmative-action and
diversity programs.
Though her qualifications
were “far above average,” said
Arenson, shewasnot promoted
on a par with Polo’s white
employees. Her raises
amounted to 14 percent, while
a white woman doing similar
work got an 80 percent pay
raise, Arenson said.
In the lawsuit, his clients
areasking for unspecified dam
ages covering back pay, emo
tional distress and loss of in
come.
Polo, which manufactures
clothing and home products,
reported sales topping dirs 2
billion last year.
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