In part 2 of our interview with Parker’s Kitchen Founder and Executive Chairman, Greg Parker, he shares how giving back has become part of the DNA at Parker’s Kitchen – giving away more than $30 million in the last six years. In his first interview since becoming Executive Chairman, Greg Parker shares career insights and how lasting success stems from service and generosity.

How Generosity Boosted the Bottom Line

I was on the foundation board of Memorial Hospital and knew some things were going well, and some weren’t. Several years ago, I had to go to the hospital with an emergency surgery. I walked into the Emergency Department, and I had a really bad experience. I was in so much pain that I couldn’t see to write my name or read any of the writing. I was in that much pain.  After that experience, I thought, “I can do something about this. I can help.” So, we gave a gift to Memorial to help create what we thought would be a great emergency room.

Several months later, I asked our CFO, Terri Heidmann, why our sales were up when we weren’t running any promotions. She responded that everyone was talking about what we did for the Parker’s Emergency and Trauma Center at Memorial Hospital, and people were giving back to us. We were just doing the right thing for our community. We weren’t thinking our customers would reward us, but they did.

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.

Investing in Education: Growing Your Talent Pool and Customer Base

Many of our leadership team members matriculated through Georgia Southern, so we decided to invest in our backyard, where it would be meaningful. We could work with the university to create a pipeline of talent, not only for the coastal empire but for Parker’s as well. It’s one of the best decisions we made.  

We have a Parker Scholars program where I work with students. They come here, and I periodically go there. We’ve recruited and hired students from that group. They come in as interns, and we end up hiring them into our organization. It’s also good for all the adjoining businesses. I’m on the board of the Savannah Economic Development Authority, and we’re all about creating economic opportunity and growing jobs. By investing in Georgia Southern, we’re investing in our community.

In addition, we have our Fueling the Community charity, started in 2011 by Terri Heidmann. We do “1 Cent Wednesdays,” where a portion of our profits goes back to local area schools. It’s over $2.75 million to date. The great thing is we create stickiness because the customer can decide which school gets the pennies.

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 didn’t have great work-life balance when I was young. I worked too much. I wanted the flexibility that success affords you as you get older, and I’m there. On February 28th, I stepped down as CEO and became Executive Chairman. It’s the first promotion I’ve gotten since I started work.

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.