Followups – January 2018

Published January 2, 2018 by Virginia Business

Dollar Tree co-founder and philanthropist Macon Brock dies
Businessman and philanthropist Macon Brock died at his home in Virginia Beach in early December.

Brock was a co-founder and former CEO of Chesapeake-based Dollar Tree Inc., a Fortune 500 company. He became chairman emeritus this year after serving as chairman of the board of directors since 2001.

Brock had suffered for many years from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a scarring of the lungs that makes it difficult to take a deep breath. He underwent a double-lung transplant at the Cleveland Clinic in 2014.

The Association of Fundraising Professionals chose Brock and his wife, Joan, as the nation’s Outstanding Philanthropists in 2015.

In Virginia, the couple supported the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center in Virginia Beach, the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk, Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Longwood University in Farmville, Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia Wesleyan University in Virginia Beach and Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk.

The Brocks both grew up in Norfolk and met as eighth graders at Granby High School. They, however, did not date until they were in college.

After graduating from Randolph-Macon with a degree in Latin, Brock served as a captain in the U.S. Marine Corps in Vietnam. He worked for the Office of Navy Intelligence before going to work for his father-in-law, K.R. Perry, at a Norfolk variety store, K&K 5&10.

In 1970, Brock, K.R. Perry and Perry’s son, Doug, started K&K Toys, a chain that eventually grew to more than 130 stores before being sold in 1991.

In 1986, Brock, Doug Perry and Ray Compton started Dollar Tree, then known as Only $1.00. Today, the chain has more than 14,000 dollar stores and annual revenue of more than $20.7 billion.

The Brocks were the subject of the magazine’s June cover story.