 Professional
Profile
William H. Parker is the former
President and General Manager of Gateway's Retail Stores, a role he assumed in
February 2003. He was responsible for transforming Gateway's PC showrooms into a
"high touch" consumer electronics retailer specializing in the
"connected and integrated home and home office".
Mr. Parker had full profit and
loss responsibility for Gateway's Retail Stores and developed an operating plan
that effectively reduced operating losses, improved gross margin rate and
dollars over the prior year and reduced non-performing assets in the business by
25%. He also developed a customer-focused market positioning strategy that would
have enabled Gateway to effectively deliver a differentiated competitive
advantage in the crowded consumer electronics business.
Prior to joining Gateway, Mr.
Parker was Banana Republic's Senior Vice President of Stores and Operations, in
charge of Financial/Payroll Management, Real Estate, Store Operations, Store
Merchandise Presentation and Visual Merchandising, Associate Training and
Development. Reporting to the President of the company, Mr. Parker streamlined
business practices and processes to improve customer service, shrinkage, returns
and improve comp store sales. Mr. Parker realigned and updated store operations
to be as strong as Banana Republic's merchandising/marketing and product
development capabilities. Mr. Parker was a member of the company's Executive
Leadership Team.
Before Banana Republic, he worked
at Old Navy (division of the Gap) serving as Zone President for the Midwest. In
that role, Mr. Parker was instrumental in growing the zone from 40 stores to 125
stores with sales of $1.2 billion. Mr. Parker was a member of the Executive
Operating Committee.
Mr. Parker fully executed a
market positioning and competitive advantage strategy for Kmart's Home Decor
Division that included the introduction of the Martha Stewart home decor line.
Comp store sales were double the Kmart Corporation's performance during the
period that the soft and hard home areas were combined. He has also worked for
Carson Pirie Scott (Senior Vice President of Merchandising), Dayton
Hudson/Target Corporation (Merchandising and Store Management), May Company and
Macy's.
Mr. Parker has lived in the
United States and traveled extensively in Europe, Asia and South America. He has
taught the "Economics of Merchandising" at Wayne State University and
briefly consulted with various clients on strategy development, assortment
planning and technology techniques to assist in the selling process to large box
retailers.
Mr. Parker holds a B.A.
Professional Studies - Business Management and Economics, Empire State College,
SUNY and a Certificate in Retail Management and Strategic Planning, Babson
College, Wellesley, MA. He is currently Chairman of the Board of Bravo San
Diego, an Arts Festival slated for late November, a former Board Member of the
Consumer Electronics Association and a former Advisory Board Member, Black
Retail Action Group. Mr. Parker was also an NCO in the United States Marine
Corps.
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San
Diego Children's Hospital and Health Center: Children's Circle of Care
Wayne
State University: Former Lecturer, "Economics of Merchandising",
Detroit, Michigan
Outstanding
Young Men of America
Boards
of Director