By Jackie Devereaux
When some folks move to the desert, they experience culture shock because of our dry heat, the high winds, the openness of our landscape, and the almost complete lack of traffic. However, one new resident instead has shocked valley residents by his immense generosity and his vision for growth in one of our most maligned cities – Desert Hot Springs (DHS).
Mark Crozier relocated from San Diego in April 2020 and since then he has changed the footprint of DHS by renovating the old, deserted Kmart building from a drug-infested, homeless hideaway into a multimillion-dollar research and development facility for pharmaceuticals derived from cannabis and other botanicals.
Crozier introduced himself to the community not as a man with promising words, but as a man of action by donating to numerous charities including Food Now, Team Mom Charities, the local Little League, soccer, football and basketball teams, as well as to the city itself. He also initiated the “12 Months 12 Causes” public relations campaign in partnership with KMIR TV – NBC Palm Springs where a different charity or civic organization is highlighted each week in a television news story paid for by Royal Emerald.
Crozier expects to receive the last in a series of federal licenses issued by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in October, after that, he says he will hire about 250 people to work at the DHS facility which will research, develop and manufacture alternative medicines for PTSD, chronic pain, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, and a host of other life-threatening ailments.
His first target markets are veterans, law enforcement and first responders because he himself is a disabled and decorated Army Ranger and retired first responder who knows first-hand about the traumas our heroes face in their line of duty.
“I’m not done yet,” Crozier said after retiring from his job as a federal police chief in 2015. “I still have a lot to give, and I want to do something meaningful and significant with the rest of my life – Royal Emerald is it.”
Royal Emerald is expecting to host a job fair in the fall. If you are looking for a job, go to the Careers link at www.royalemeraldrx.com
