The Champion of Connection

Ronald C. Parker ’76, a beloved leader in the TCU community and a transformative executive for the global PepsiCo organization, died on February 22, 2025. He was 70. Parker, who earned a degree in political science, was a dedicated Trustee for 24 years and co-chaired the successful Lead On: A Campaign for TCU, which raised more than a billion dollars to supercharge the future of the university. 

Born in Brenham, Texas, Parker was the middle child of five siblings in a family that grew corn and cotton and managed a cattle herd. The dual-sport athlete attended Brenham High School shortly after integration and was senior class president and voted most popular. 

Parker’s TCU journey began as a member of the football team. He played tight end and was team captain and Most Valuable Player in 1976. The Block T Hall of Fame inducted him in 2004. “I was a student-athlete in every sense” who made a point to listen to every speaker who visited campus, he told TCU Magazine in 2022.

He met his wife of 47 years, Paula Rhodes Parker ’77, during their undergraduate days. “It was love at first sight,” he said (she disagreed). Soon after he arrived on campus, he witnessed Paula being harassed by another student. “I walked up, took the seat beside her, told him to find another place to sit and walked her back to her dorm room,” he said. 

Horned Frog Football greats Ron Parker and LaDainian Tomlinson attend a September 2023 event celebrating the publication of “A History to Remember: TCU in Purple, White, and Black.” Photo by Amy Peterson

The Parkers wed in 1978 and together raised three children, Jonathan ’08 MBA, Michael and Lauren Parker Santee ’07. 

Drafted by the Chicago Bears, Parker was injured his rookie year and left professional athletics for the business world. “I wanted to be involved in human resources,” he said, “because nothing happens in business without good people.”

He joined PepsiCo Inc. in 1982 as human resources manager, which led to a nearly 30-year career that culminated in a role as senior vice president of human resources/labor relations. During his tenure at PepsiCo, he showed an aptitude for building bridges and creating win-win outcomes by leading successful resolutions of more than 30 international labor contracts.

Along the way, Parker became PepsiCo’s chief global diversity and inclusion officer. “I didn’t want to do that job. I didn’t want to be the diversity guy,” he said. “I was running all North America human resources. Vernon [Jordan, a civil rights attorney and business executive] called me and explained that you don’t have to be in control to influence outcomes, but if you’re in a position to, you can influence the world.”

Outside of PepsiCo, Parker served as president and CEO of the Executive Leadership Council, which helps develop Black executives, and president and CEO of the National Association of Securities Professionals, which supports underrepresented professionals in the financial services industry. He joined the board of the United Way Foundation of Metropolitan Dallas and the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges.

“He was driven by an unwavering commitment to equity, a steadfast belief that everyone — regardless of their background, circumstances or the obstacles they faced — deserved a fair and just opportunity,” the Parker family shared in a statement. “With a heart full of compassion and a spirit fueled by justice, he dedicated his professional career to uplifting those around him, breaking down barriers and lighting the way for others to follow.”

As co-chair, Ron Parker catalyzed TCU’s more than $1 billion fundraising campaign, Lead On. Photo by Joyce Marshall

At every step, Parker built success by investing time and energy into connection culture. “I believe in the return on relationships,” he said. “If you approach a relationship with full transparency and integrity, you can do anything because it engenders a level of trust.”

Parker retired from PepsiCo in 2010 and turned his attention to serving his alma mater. As a Trustee, Parker was a passionate advocate for diversity, engagement and academic excellence. He believed in the power of education to transform lives and championed the university’s commitment to creating global citizens with strong ethics and character.

Said TCU President Daniel Pullin: “Ron was a leader among leaders whose compassion, servant leadership and ability to inspire those around him have had a profound impact on our university in countless ways. Ron Parker cared about everyone and was always the first to step in and offer wise counsel and support. He was a beacon of kindness and selflessness, always putting others first.”

“One of the most sincere people I have ever known, Ron was generous, engaging and dedicated to serving others,” said TCU Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr. “He loved and served TCU with compassion and integrity and leaves a lasting mark. He took the time to get to know people and build authentic relationships; he will be dearly missed by all who had the good fortune to know him.”

Ron Parker and his wife of 47 years, Paula Rhodes Parker, met soon after Ron arrived on campus as an undergraduate.

Parker’s Board leadership and dedication to all things Horned Frog — he attended all commencements and home football and basketball games and was a member of the Neeley School of Business Board of Advisors — were invaluable to the university’s culture of connection.

“Ron Parker was more than a colleague — he was a fierce advocate, a mentor and a friend who showed up fully in every room he entered,” said Tracy Williams ’04 (MS ’08), the immediate past president of the TCU Alumni Association who served alongside Parker on the Board of Trustees. “He stood unapologetically for what was right, not just talking about change but rolling up his sleeves to make it happen. He challenged us to reach beyond comfortable mediocrity and led with both unwavering conviction and an open heart. His dedication to TCU wasn’t just professional — it was personal, celebrating every step forward while reminding us that the journey toward equity and justice is never complete.”

He co-established the Ron and Paula Parker Endowed Scholarship for a tight end, the Harris College Scholarship for Nursing, and an endowed professorship in the Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences. 

Parker’s commitment to helping shape TCU led to his volunteering to co-chair the ambitious Lead On: A Campaign for TCU, which launched in 2019 to raise $1 billion to enhance TCU’s people and programs in the 21st century. The campaign met its goal in 2023 during the university’s sesquicentennial celebrations. 

“Ron Parker was more than a colleague — he was a fierce advocate, a mentor and a friend who showed up fully in every room he entered.”
Tracy Williams

Lead On campaign co-chair Dee Kelly Jr. said Parker “was energetic, enthusiastic and tireless in his efforts for TCU. I loved working by his side and feel very fortunate to have co-chaired that effort with him. The campaign will be one of Ron’s many lasting legacies at TCU.”

“His love for TCU was boundless, and he wore it proudly — quite literally. He loved purple. He loved the Frogs, and he carried that pride in everything he did,” his daughter Lauren said. “He was a mentor, a supporter and a believer in the power of the Horned Frog community.”

Parker said he had “no problem” being referred to as Mr. TCU and felt honored to give so much back to the university that invested in him. “I have amassed some tremendous experience in life, and if I don’t use it in a useful way in honor of our forefathers who worked so hard to open doors for people like me … then I have not done enough.”

Ronald Parker did more than enough.

“His impact extended far beyond his work; it was woven into the lives he touched, the voices he empowered and the hope he instilled in those who needed it most,” the Parker family shared in a statement. “His legacy is not just a reflection of what he achieved, but of the kindness, courage and determination he inspired in others — a legacy that will continue to shape the world for generations to come.”

The family requests that tributes be made to the Ronald C. Parker Memorial Scholarship Fund.

— Caroline Collier