Mel Rashkis
A man of deep faith and conviction, Mel Rashkis balanced a successful real estate career with valuable work promoting civil rights and advancing public education. From the moment he arrived in Chapel Hill in 1962, Rashkis made an impact. He grew his real estate company, Mel Rashkis and Associates, into Chapel Hill’s largest, helping legions of families and individuals find homes in our community. He also worked hard to ensure people were made to feel at home. Rashkis insisted that this staff treat every client with respect and dignity. This was not always the case in still-segregated Chapel Hill, and Rashkis was the only broker willing to show houses to Lillian and Howard Lee. In 1969, Lee was elected Chapel Hill’s mayor, the first African-American since Reconstruction to lead a predominantly white Southern
town. At a time when racial tensions ran high, Rashkis was a calming influence, welcoming people of all races into his business and his home to get to know and understand each other.
In recognition of his business leadership, Rashkis was the first chairman of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce after it merged with the merchants association in 1979. He also served as president of the Chapel Hill Board of REALTORS, which named him REALTOR of the Year. Rashkis was president of the Chapel Hill Rotary Club, and received its Rotarian of the Year award. He also was active in many civic and service organizations. Rashkis was president and campaign chairman of the Community Chest, which later became the United Way, and was a board member for both the Orange County and Triangle United Way. He was a vigorous supporter of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools, in which his wife, Zora, taught. As president of the Village Companies Foundation, Rashkis funded school-based performing arts programs, later founding Performing Arts Lovers, a group for parents and community members. In 1991, he
established a teaching chair in Zora’s honor to provide stipends to the district’s best middle-school language arts teachers. After the Columbine shootings in 1999, he created the Community Alliance for Student Success to improve the quality of our local schools
and promote communication among parents, students and teachers. As a result of his and Zora’s deep dedication to public education in our community, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools named the elementary school in Meadowmont for them.
For his leadership in civil rights and civic affairs, and his role in supporting our community’s schools, we proudly induct Mel Rashkis to the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Business Hall of Fame.
town. At a time when racial tensions ran high, Rashkis was a calming influence, welcoming people of all races into his business and his home to get to know and understand each other.
In recognition of his business leadership, Rashkis was the first chairman of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce after it merged with the merchants association in 1979. He also served as president of the Chapel Hill Board of REALTORS, which named him REALTOR of the Year. Rashkis was president of the Chapel Hill Rotary Club, and received its Rotarian of the Year award. He also was active in many civic and service organizations. Rashkis was president and campaign chairman of the Community Chest, which later became the United Way, and was a board member for both the Orange County and Triangle United Way. He was a vigorous supporter of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools, in which his wife, Zora, taught. As president of the Village Companies Foundation, Rashkis funded school-based performing arts programs, later founding Performing Arts Lovers, a group for parents and community members. In 1991, he
established a teaching chair in Zora’s honor to provide stipends to the district’s best middle-school language arts teachers. After the Columbine shootings in 1999, he created the Community Alliance for Student Success to improve the quality of our local schools
and promote communication among parents, students and teachers. As a result of his and Zora’s deep dedication to public education in our community, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools named the elementary school in Meadowmont for them.
For his leadership in civil rights and civic affairs, and his role in supporting our community’s schools, we proudly induct Mel Rashkis to the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Business Hall of Fame.