PROFILE OF A CHAMPION: PARKER’S KITCHEN

LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP FROM A FRONTLINE FOUNDER

Parker’s Kitchen was nominated and selected by fellow Georgia business leaders for prioritizing people and community— illustrating how genuine care translates into a company culture of loyalty and generosity. Greg Parker’s journey, from a one-man operation in 1976 to leading a company that processes over a million weekly transactions, is a testament to his hands-on leadership and unwavering commitment to generosity.

“Giving back is part of our company’s DNA,” says Greg Parker, Founder and Executive Chairman. “It’s shocking how many people say they want to work at Parker’s Kitchen because we give back to the community. We’re just doing the right thing, but our customers are rewarding us and people want to work with us. Every CEO needs to know that by doing the right thing a world of generosity will come back to you.” 

In addition to talking about his days as a frontline CEO, Parker shared with goBeyondProfit lessons in leadership as well as frank insights into his transition from CEO to Executive Chairman.

Excerpts taken from the interview with Greg Parker, Founder & Executive Chairman, Parker’s Kitchen

From One Employee to a Million Weekly Transactions

I’ve worn every hat: accountant, bookkeeper, head of marketing, head of display, head of operations. I’ve done everything in our industry, and it gives me a knowledge that others don’t have. But I’ve always had a profound fear of failure, and I think that fear of failure is what pushed me forward. That, and insecurity. I think many CEOs, if they were truly honest, would say they had a huge fear of failure and were very insecure in what they were doing.

Defining Yourself Through Crisis: Reflections from 2020

This is going to be a defining time in our company’s history. We’re going to do the best job of handling our business, taking care of our customers, and ensuring the safety of our employees, better than anyone in the industry. 

I told them I’ve always led from the front, and my intention was to visit every single store and talk to every manager and kitchen manager to let them know we were concerned. We were going to do whatever it took to provide for their safety. I was going to be a good listener and understand their concerns. But we’re an essential business; we had to stay open. Imagine America shutting down, with every convenience store closing. So, we had to remain open.

I went on to say that I wouldn’t tell my white-collar workers they could work from home while the frontline, blue-collar workers, those serving our customers every day, had to be at work. No, this office was going to stay open. As a 71-year-old leader of this company, I was going to be here at work every single day, leading from the front.

How Generosity Boosted the Bottom Line

Giving back is part of our company’s DNA. I’m 76 years old. I’ve made more money than I ever thought possible, and as a result, we’ve given away quite a bit over the last six or seven years, around $30 million. We focus on four areas: education, because it’s the foundation of prosperity; healthcare, where we recently gave a $5 million gift to help the underinsured and uninsured; heroes, through our support of wounded warriors; and hunger, where we set a goal last year of feeding 2 million meals to hungry children, and achieved it.  

It’s shocking how many people say, “I want to work at Parker’s because y’all give back to the communities where you do business.” We’re just doing the right thing. Our customers are rewarding us. People want to work with us. Every CEO needs to know that by doing the right thing, being generous, and giving back, a world of generosity will come back to you.

From CEO to Executive Chairman: Leading Through Transition

Most people ask why I don’t sell out and sail into the sunset. I want to continue to create opportunity. We just closed on a $1.2 billion loan that will allow us to grow in ways we’ve never grown before. We have 113 stores in the pipeline, and we’re going to open a hundred stores in the next four years. I have an extraordinary team that’s going to do it. At one point, I was the best bookkeeper, marketer, operations person, and merchandiser. Now, I’m not a fraction as good as any of those people are in their respective disciplines.

I have an incredible board and an incredible team that’s going to do a far better job than I did in the past. I’m going to be able to really give back in meaningful ways to the community that has supported us. Our success is built on the shoulders of others, and the success in the future will be built on the shoulders of others.

The thing that, as I said before, that I’ve learned is by doing the right thing, your customers will reward you. And by doing the right thing, your employees will support you. I am truly humbled and grateful for the people that I’ve worked with.