Greg Kimmel reflects on his life in Benton, and he emphatically tells me, "I wouldn't change a thing." This sentiment captures the journey of a man whose deep connection to our community grew into a successful career serving the very town that nurtured him as a young man.

Born in Benton in 1953, Kimmel represents the second generation of his family to both attend Benton schools and serve the community as a pharmacist. His father, born in Benton in 1924, graduated from Benton High School in 1943 and headed straight into World War II service.

"Had it not been for Hitler, Hirohito, and World War II, things would have been dramatically different," Kimmel notes. The GI Bill made college possible for his father, who might otherwise never have had the opportunity. "My dad was able to go to school due to the GI Bill. His mother was a seamstress, and I'm told they were very poor."

The elder Kimmel graduated from St. Louis College of Pharmacy in 1950 and returned to Benton to work at Benton Drug. His son would follow a remarkably similar path decades later.

Greg Kimmel's education began at Logan School, one of the neighborhood elementary schools that fed into Webster Junior High. He has fond memories of teachers who made lasting impressions, particularly his fourth-grade teacher, Yvonne Booten, whom he describes as "just an exceptionally nice lady and caring."

Another influential figure was Bill Wazorik, his seventh and eighth-grade social studies teacher. "He was a very stern World War II veteran. Strict. But to this day, I remember certain things that he taught us about either World War II or World War I or the Korean War or about United States history, Industrial Revolution—things that really don't get taught much anymore."

After graduating from Benton High School in 1971, Kimmel attended the University of Illinois for one year, initially planning to become an electrical engineer. The transition from small-town Benton to the large university was a culture shock, and his career path soon changed course.

"My dad did not push me toward pharmacy," Kimmel explains, but when engineering job prospects seemed limited, pharmacy became an appealing alternative that matched his aptitude for science. He transferred to St. Louis College of Pharmacy—the same institution his father had attended—and graduated in 1976.

After working three years in Fairview Heights, Illinois, Kimmel received a life-changing call from his father in January 1979. His father's business partner at Kimmel Chaplin Pharmacy wanted to sell his half of the business. Would Greg be interested in returning to Benton?

After consulting with his wife Jody—who would later teach in Benton's District 47 for 31 years—Kimmel made the decision to come home. He and his father became partners until 2003, when his father retired. Another Benton graduate and fellow classmate, Bill McCrary, then purchased the elder Kimmel's half of the business. The two classmates continued as partners until 2014, when they sold the pharmacy.

Throughout his career, Kimmel witnessed significant changes in the pharmacy business. When chain stores like CVS and Walmart opened pharmacies in Benton in the early 1990s, he initially feared their impact. However, the shift to insurance prescription drug cards actually helped level the playing field.

"People paid the same copay whether they went to CVS, Walmart, or Kimmel Chaplin," he explains. "I didn't really have to fight the stigma of the fact that retail pharmacies were going to cost you more money. If they paid the same copay at my store as they did for Walmart, then all was well."

Kimmel's pride in his Benton education shines through when discussing the values instilled during his school years. "I think that the education I got was absolutely perfect. I was fortunate enough to be in a class of fellow students whose parents instilled in them, as well as me, the idea that you wanted to make A's and B's and you wanted to be competitive."

He credits the Benton school system with fostering an environment where students were motivated to excel: "Throughout Logan School and Webster Junior High, I had teachers that really cared about the learning process of their students."

Now enjoying retirement, Kimmel takes pride in his family's accomplishments. His older daughter followed in his healthcare footsteps to become a physician practicing family medicine and obstetrics in Kansas City, while his younger daughter works as a nurse practitioner at the local hospital in Benton.

"I am fortunate that I was born and raised here in small-town USA," Kimmel reflects. "I got a fantastic education here, came back, and the city of Benton and the surrounding area allowed me to be successful as a pharmacist and a business owner."