‘WORKING AND TRAINING': Freeport grad opens pharmacy, sets waterskiing world record (SLIDESHOW)

2011 was a busy year for Regina Jaquess.

Not only did she set the waterskiing Overall World Record at the Pan American games in October, but while training and competing, she also opened her own compounding pharmacy.

To see a slideshow of Regina's performance at the PanAm games, CLICK HERE.

Her sister Renee says of Regina, “If you drop a piece of paper, you’re behind schedule.”

After earning her doctor of pharmacy from the University of Louisiana at Monroe in 2009, this avid water skier returned to Walton County to work as junior pharmacist at the Santa Rosa Pharmacy.

“Originally, I wanted to buy out (then-owner) Tom Flowers,” said Regina.

But, seeing a need in the community, she decided it was time South Walton had a compounding pharmacy. Her Emerald Coast Compounding Pharmacy opened in July at Santa Rosa Beach’s Gulf Place, 7 Town Center Loop, Unit C-15.

A compounding pharmacy creates tailor-made medicine based on an individual’s body chemistry and dosage needs, minimizing side effects. The pharmacist can also make medicine that has been discontinued, and Regina specializes in bio-identical hormones, which, apparently, the women of South Walton love.

“I have women who tell me, ‘I’ll mortgage my house!’ to keep buying it,” she added.

Though Regina has been winning competitions and setting world records since she was 16, she did not decide to make the sport her career.

“You have to be at the top of your game to do it professionally,” she said. But, “You can’t rely on waterskiing.”

And, Regina has felt that personally, with a knee surgery in December last year and motion-limiting Parsonage-Turner syndrome. But even her injuries could not hinder Regina’s enthusiasm — or aptitude — for waterskiing.

From the age of 16, Regina has studied full-time with Cory Pickos in Santa Rosa Beach. She studied under him through the summer before her tenth-grade year but stayed on afterward. Her parents conceded but did have one stipulation — that she attend traditional high school.

“Our parents were firm. They instilled education in us since we were young,” said Regina.

So, Regina enrolled in tenth grade at Freeport High School and split her time among education, friends and waterskiing.

“She was almost immediately on the varsity basketball team, and she was also prom queen. Knowing Regina, it isn’t surprising,” said Renee of her driven and bubbly sister.

Regina followed her 2002 high school graduation by joining Renee on the water ski team at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, where both had full scholarships for waterskiing.

Regina’s original plan had been to pursue the pre-med route, and continue on to veterinary school; however, she also wanted to remain at ULM and ski. So, because ULM didn’t offer a veterinary program, she decided on pharmacy.

During their waterskiing days, the Jaquess sisters helped to propel the water ski team to success, bringing multiple victories to their school, including one from the world tournament in China.

In the case of the Jaquess family, those who ski together stay together.

When Regina opened the Emerald Coast Compounding Pharmacy in the midst of waterskiing season this past summer, her sister joined her as business manager.

So, Regina, who graduated with her doctor of pharmacy degree in 2009, takes care of the chemistry of making personalized medicine, while Renee takes care of business management and marketing.

“We work really well together,” said Regina. “We still have our sisterly fights, but we have a close connection, which I think comes from skiing together.”

Even while opening her bustling business, Regina managed to train all summer and triumph at the Pan American Games, which draws teams from throughout Canada, the United States and South America to compete in a variety of events, from gymnastics to baseball to, of course, waterskiing.

“It’s like a mini Olympics,” she said. “A lot of athletes go to qualify for the Olympics. But since there isn’t a waterskiing event in the Olympics, it’s basically ours.”

Regina was one of four water skiers competing on the U.S. team and won in the three-event “overall” category, which includes slalom, tricks and jumps.

In the slalom competition, a water skier navigates around a series of six buoys, earning points for every buoy cleared, while using only one ski. Skiers also earn points for the length of their rope, as the task becomes more difficult the shorter the rope is. Regina’s world-record-setting score was one-and-a-half buoys cleared at 41 feet.

For trick events, competitors earn points based on the difficulty and execution of their series of tricks performed during a 20-second run. In the third event, skiers are catapulted over a wooden ramp and are judged by the distance jumped; Regina jumped 173 feet.

In addition to Regina's records and three golds and one bronze medal, the four-person U.S. water ski team took first place overall at the event held in Guadalajara, Mexico, Oct. 17-25.

Clearly, the pharmaceutical business does not hinder Regina’s ability to participate in competitions.

“I’ll have customers ask, ‘Where were you?’ and I’ll say, ‘Oh, I was in Russia,’ ” she said, smiling.

Though the waterskiing season ended after the Pan Am games, it will be a return to a hectic schedule when the season restarts at the March 2012 Moomba Masters in Melbourne, Australia.

But for now, Regina will focus on her new business and bask in the glory of her world record title.

“Working and training, that’s all I do. But the Pan Am Games were the best way to end a season,” said Regina. “It was all worth it.”