James Olivarez

I was raised in La Joya, Texas and I attended La Joya High School. During high school I was participated in various student organizations, which included playing quarterback and running back for their varsity football team, running track, and playing the cornet in the band. During my senior year I heard a very inspirational speech from a football coach that made me realize that I wanted to become a pharmacist in order to help the community. When I graduated from high school in 1977 I pursued an education at the University of Texas-Pan American. After a couple of years of basic courses I transferred to the University of Texas-Austin. Two years later I was accepted into their College of Pharmacy. During my time at UT at Austin I did an internship at Saint Luke’s Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. In 1982 I married my wife, Thelma Olivarez. In 1984 I graduated from the university with a Bachelor’s of Science in Pharmacy and moved back to the Rio Grande Valley with my wife. I started working for Medico Pharmacy in Mission, Texas. I worked there for over four years. In 1988 I started working for Wal-Mart within their pharmacy as a floater pharmacist. After one year of working I was promoted to Pharmacy Manager (PIC) and managed two stores during my 20 year career at Wal-Mart. My wife and I moved to Palmhurst, Texas in 1996 where we raised our two children, James and Jessica. While living in Palmhurst I have been involved within the Knights of Columbus as a Fourth Degree Knight and I was also part of the Mission Consolidated Independent School District School Board. I was part of the MCISD school board for 11 years, and during three years I held the presidential seat. In 2006, I ventured into the field of independent pharmacy with Ramiro and Jaime Barrera. Together we have built a strong community oriented pharmacy which I am proud to be a part of. I have been an independent co-owner of Richard’s Pharmacy for the past 10 years and I have loved every year spent as an independent pharmacist, because my main goal as a pharmacist is to show care and compassion to all of the valley’s residents.