As President of The Dayton Foundation, Mr. Parks works to help people and organizations help others in the Dayton Region and beyond. Each year, the generosity of donors and the work of The Dayton Foundation impact the quality of life throughout the region. Last year, through more than 3,000 donor funds, the Foundation distributed more than 13,000 grants totaling $37.8 million to charitable organizations and to efforts fostering the betterment of our region.

Since he was named Foundation President, Mr. Parks has grown philanthropic commitment to our region, elevated the Foundation’s role in fostering community collaborations and leadership initiatives, developed new, first-in-the-nation services for donors and not-for-profit organizations and become a resource on philanthropy and the nonprofit community regionally and nationally. A frequent speaker and writer on issues and trends impacting nonprofits, he also has been interviewed on the national PBS program, The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.

At any given time, the Foundation plays leadership roles in a number of community efforts. Among recent focuses of Foundation efforts have been diversity and economic inclusion; education and strengthening neighborhoods and families; land conservation; and helping ensure the future of area nonprofit organizations who wish to pursue possible collaborations, alliances and mergers with other nonprofits.

Mr. Parks currently serves with other regional leaders on numerous area projects and initiatives. These presently include The Community Asset Board – Greater Dayton Conference on Youth, Dayton Regional Network, Goodwill/Easter Seals Site Strategic Planning Committee, Greater Dayton Commission on Minority Inclusion, Learn to Earn Dayton Leadership Council and Executive Committee, Midwest Community Foundations Venture (a Midwest regional collaborative of community foundations,) Minority Business Partnership and updayton Community Advisory Council. He serves as the Board chair for The Dayton Region New Market Fund. Mr. Parks also serves on the Philanthropy Ohio (formerly Ohio Grantmakers Forum) Board of Trustees, as well as the Philanthropy Ohio Community Foundation, Public Policy and Diversity and Inclusion committees, the later of which he recently served as chair, and is a member of the Philanthropy Ohio CEO Diversity Leadership Circle. He also is an enthusiastic “Foster Alumni” for the Dayton Early College Academy at the University of Dayton.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Mr. Parks served the YMCA for 22 years, most recently as the President/CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Dayton. He and his wife, Amy, have been married for 29 years and have four children, ages 17 to 26.