Gary Parker: Small CU advocate, visionary, and mentor inducted into Cornerstone Hall of Fame

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When Cornerstone League’s 2024 Hall of Fame inductee became CEO of his first credit union, Post-it Notes had just been invented, the Jackson Five was at the top of the Billboard charts, and Motorola announced the first cell phone—with mind-boggling stats: weighing in at 2.5 pounds, over a foot in length, offered 30 minutes of talk-time, and took 10 hours to charge.

Gary D. Parker was just a teenager when he started his credit union career as a part-time teller at Bison Federal Credit Union. He became a manager at 20 years old and was the youngest to lead a credit union in Oklahoma.

After 14 years at Bison Federal, he moved on to First Family Federal Credit Union, where he introduced ATMs to the membership and oversaw a successful merger.

In the late ‘90s, Parker took the helm at what is now 1st University Credit Union in Waco, where he stayed for nearly three decades. He developed 1st University’s mortgage lending division, operated under the “member first” mentality, and fostered meaningful relationships with the board and the community. 

Randy Wood, board chair at 1st University, said Parker’s attention to detail and transparency was greatly appreciated.

“Gary’s openness and honesty is such a joy to see in the modern-day world, “said Wood. “Under his leadership, I always felt informed and completely aware of the information I needed to know regarding the work of the credit union.”

Parker has always seen the bigger picture of credit unions. Many have described him as a selfless servant, visionary, and mentor. He has a heart for small credit unions, and his perspectives and insights were highly respected.

Parker was one of Tom Sakash’s first mentors.

“He took the time to educate me about life as the leader of a small credit union and how to achieve success,” remembers Sakash, former manager of small credit union initiatives at America’s Credit Unions. “He demonstrated what it meant to be a true leader, and this guidance allowed me to be much more successful in this work than I would have been without him.”

When Parker spoke, people listened. He was elected to serve on the chapter level and then to the boards of the state leagues. On a national level, he was asked to serve on America’s Credit Unions’ Small Credit Union Committee.

In 2010, the National Credit Union Administration asked him to participate on a panel exploring issues facing corporate credit unions. While Parker represented the smallest credit union on the panel, that didn’t stop him from speaking up. His contributions resulted in policy changes and guidance that strengthened corporate credit unions.

He served on the Cornerstone League’s Lending Council Executive Committee, and 20 years ago, he co-founded the Southwest Lending and Collections Conference, which still attracts hundreds of leaders annually. He made such an impact that, in 2021, a scholarship was established in his name so young professionals could experience the conference at a low cost.

Parker has been honored for his contributions to advising and mentoring credit unions, and in 2018, he was recognized as CUNA Management School’s Alumnus of the Year. While he graduated from CUNA Management School in 1980, he was chosen for his extraordinary accomplishments in the following four decades.

Those who know Parker say he has a heart of gold and lives the credit union philosophy of “people helping people.” A true professional and friend, Parker is a man of integrity, and his commitment to credit unions has left a lasting mark on our industry.

Watch Gary Parker's Hall of Fame video. 

About the Hall of Fame Award
The Hall of Fame was created to honor leaders in the credit union movement who reflect a rich history of service through their chapters, their league, and America’s Credit Unions (formerly, Credit Union National Association). Individuals receiving this prestigious award have impacted the industry in significant and meaningful ways and are regarded as pioneers in the credit union movement.