14 Feb Chad Parker
Bio
Chad Parker
Chad Parker graduated from Mississippi State University in 1995, receiving a B.B.A. degree in Marketing/Professional Golf Management.He started his career in the golf business as an Assistant Golf Professional at NorthRiver Yacht Club in Tuscaloosa, AL before moving to East Lake Golf Club in 1996.In 1997 he was promoted to Head Golf Professional and then to General Manager/COO & Director of Golf in 2014.In 2013, he successfully completed the requirements for PGA Certification in General Management and is currently working on achieving Master Professional status.
As General Manager/COO & Director of Golf, he has been active in the area of golf tournament management, hosting 17 PGA TOUR events and 4 major amateur events, including the 101st United States Amateur in 2001 and the East Lake Cup in 2015, 2016 and 2017.Chad also has a passion for merchandising and has been honored 17 times by the Association of Golf Merchandisers as having one of the “Top 100 Golf Shops” in the United States.He was named Merchandiser of the Year by the Georgia Section PGA in 2002 and won the inaugural Golf World “Best Merchandising” award in 2004.In 2011, Chad was awarded the Horton Smith Award by the Georgia Section PGA for his continuing contributions to professional education.The Georgia Section PGA also recently awarded The President’s Award to Chad for his overall promotion of golf, level of impact on the game of golf, ability to inspire fellow professionals, and level of professional expertise.
Chad was named as one of the “Top 40 under 40” by the Atlanta Business Chronicle in 2009 and was named a “Community Champion” by the Georgia Chapter of M.A.D.D. in 2010.In 2011, he was elected to the Board of Directors for Crimestoppers Atlanta.In 2012, Chad was named to the board of Cink Charities, Inc, which currently operates a golf tournament to fund its programs.Most recently, Chad was selected as part of the 2018 class of Leadership Atlanta, one of the oldest sustained community leadership programs in the nation.
Over the years, Chad has volunteered his time and expertise to several other organizations including the East Lake Foundation, The Giving Kitchen, 21st Century Leaders, H.O.S.T.S. Mentor Program at Charles R. Drew School, The First Tee of East Lake, HomeAid Atlanta, Habitat for Humanity, Mississippi State University, Girls, Inc. and the 691 Society, which is the fundraising arm of the TOUR Championship.
With the help of Stewart Cink and others, Chad created a charity golf event (The Healing Place Charity Championship) in his hometown of Florence, AL to raise money for The Healing Place, a nonprofit facility located in Muscle Shoals, AL that provides ongoing education and support programs for grieving children, adolescents and their families / caregivers.Over the past 15 years, the event has raised over $2 million.
In 2010, Chad coordinated the formation of the “East Lake Invitational”, a celebrity Pro-Am style golf tournament staged to benefit the East Lake Foundation.With the assistance of Tournament Hosts Billy Andrade and Stewart Cink, the event has raised over $2.5 million for charity in seven years.
Chad lives with his wife Carrie in the Druid Hills neighborhood of Atlanta. He enjoys hiking, travel, cooking (especially barbeque and other southern delicacies), University of Alabama football, fitness, live local music and making homemade dill pickles. He is a certified BBQ judge and a founding member of the competitive BBQ team “Que School.” In addition to competing, Que School has raised over $300,000 for charity over the last 4 years thru various activities.
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