Kent L. Parker is an American businessman, entrepreneur, inventor, real estate developer, and philanthropist. He is most notable for his work with early-stage software companies.
Parker was born and raised on a farm in rural Fort Branch, Indiana.[1] The 68-acre property had been in Parker's family since 1934.[2]
His mother, Phyllis, was a records input secretary at the Evansville Indiana State Police.[3] His father, Glenn Parker, was employed at the Ball Corporation in Muncie[4] and holds a patent for a multi-unit package of metal containers used in the food and beverage industry.[5]
Kent Parker attended Wood Memorial High School where he was active in wrestling, cross-country running[6] and track.[7][8] Parker won awards for biology[9] and was a strong student.[10] In 1978, he was selected by the local American Legion to represent his school at Hoosier Boys State at Indiana State University Terra Haute.[11] He was one of four speakers at his graduation ceremony.[12]
Parker began his career with the Bryant Day and Night Payne Corporation, a unit of Carrier Corporation in Indianapolis, IN.[16] As a development engineer at Carrier, Parker earned a patent[17] for a furnace inducer outlet box assembly.[18]
Davidson Textron
Following business school, Parker moved to Davidson Textron where he focused on strategic sourcing, manufacturing, and program management.[19] While at Textron, Parker secured five individual patents covering a method of molding automotive interiors,[20] an air-bag restraint system,[21] an automobile door assembly,[22] a method for molding a pre-assembled door within an instrument panel,[23] and a method for forming a recyclable pour tool.[24]
Caribou Coffee
Caribou Coffee's first location
In 2004 Parker joined his former Dartmouth roommate John Puckett as part of the senior leadership team at Caribou Coffee. Unlike Starbucks, Caribou sought to build a "National Park Lodge Theme" that would use a retail operation to create a brand.[25] The company sold its products at retail locations, in grocery stories and through a mail-order operation.[26] Over the course of two years from 1997 to 1999 Parker helped grow the company's wholesale division from $200,000 to almost $10 million through partnerships with Delta Air Lines, Target and Aramark.[17]
Caribou Coffee expanded to 100 stores and 2,000 employees before being sold in 2001 to Arcapita for approximately $80 million.[26]
FreeMarkets, Inc.
Parker held multiple positions at FreeMarkets between April 2000 and July 2024[27] including senior vice president of global sourcing services[28] and vice president and general manager of automotive business.[29] Parker launched FreeMarkets' Automotive World Headquarters in 2000 and grew it to $40 million within a year. He oversaw a staff of 500 across the United States and Europe.[17] In January 2004, Freemarkets was acquired by Ariba for $493 million.[30]
Ariba
Following the sale of FreeMarkets to Ariba, Parker stayed on[31][32] initially serving as Executive Vice President, Ariba Global Services Organization before being elevated to COO in 2007.[28] While at Ariba, Parker oversaw more than 1,000 people across 36 different countries. He retired from Ariba following the company's sale to SAP AG in 2012.[33]
Parker and his wife Laurie established the Kent and Laurie Parker Family Foundation in 2013.[37] Based in New Harmony, the non-profit organization makes regional and national grants.[38]
In 2018, the foundation pledged $50,000 towards the repair and restoration of the Harmony Way Bridge[39] in southern Indiana.[40]
Parker has served on the board of the Hosier Art Salon,[41] Harmonie Associates,[42] Historic New Harmony,[43] Rapp Granary Owen Foundation, Inc.[44] and the Robert Lee Blaffer Foundation.[45]
Parker and his wife provided the funding for a new cultural facility in New Harmony[46] called The Bicentennial House. The project was inspired by the original single-family homes built by the Harmonie Society and completed in 2014.[47]
Personal life
Parker produced and released an album of original music titled The Way, reflecting his life experiences and creative journey.[48] Parker's musical writing style blends progressive Americana with classic country. The album features musicians including Charlie McCoy, Brent Mason, Aaron Sterling, Sean Hurley, Jason Webb, Gideon Klein, Daniel Fraire, Fats Kaplin, Rafael Pirela, Nashville Recording Orchestra and Venezuela Strings Recording Ensemble.[49] The album was recognized for its authenticity and emotional depth.[50]
↑ US5164135A,Parker, Kent L.&Carter, James C.,"In-mold mating of substrate material to vinyl skin covering for the construction of two-component automotive interior trim parts",issued November 17, 1992
↑ US5108128A,Parker, Kent L.&Guadreau, Laurent R.,"Self-piercing cover assembly for airbag",issued April 28, 1992
↑ US4964653A,Parker, Kent L.,"Self-skinned foam component for an inflatable restraint door assembly",issued October 23, 1990
↑ US4952351A,Parker, Kent L.&Bleau, George,"Method of forming a plastic panel for covering an inflatable restraint",issued August 28, 1990
↑ US4860815A,Parker, Kent; Batchelder, Bruce& Clavette, Norman,"Method for forming recyclable pour tool",issued August 29, 1989
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