Vernon Parker
Encyclopedia
Vernon B. Parker is an American
lawyer
and politician
. He is a member of the Republican Party
currently serves as Mayor
of Paradise Valley, Arizona
and is a candidate for the United States House of Representatives
in Arizona's 3rd congressional district
, running to succeed retiring U.S. Congressman John Shadegg
.
, where he majored in Finance
and Georgetown University Law Center
, where he served as editor-in-chief of the Georgetown American Criminal Law Review.
to a poor mother and was eventually sent to live with his grandmother in Long Beach, California. He did well in high school and attended Long Beach Community College because it was free. He then attended California State University, Long Beach
, and upon graduation began to work at Rockwell International
. He purchased a house at this time, but sold it when he got an offer to attend Georgetown University Law School. His Grandmother and Mother worked cleaning houses to help him make it through law school, and his brother gave him all the money he could spare. "I realized that me going to law school was not as an individual, but as something for my family, something for my community." He said in an interview with the American Spectator.
At law school, after being spurned by graduates of Ivy League
Universities, he was part of a study group with non-Ivy League students, where he met his future wife, who had attended Arizona State.
Parker has started his own law firm as well as his own small business. Parker had served as interim Pastor of his Church. He is a Member of Greater Phoenix Salvation Army Advisory Board, he had served on the board of Christian Family Care Agency and served on the board of Starshine Academy Charter School.
, he worked as an analyst at Rockwell International
before he accepted an offer to attend Georgetown University Law Center
.
After finishing his law degree, Parker worked on George H.W. Bush's 1988 presidential campaign and went on to serve on the staff of the Office of Personnel Management
for 4 years. His first position in the federal government as counselor to the director of the Office of Personnel Management(OPM). He was simultaneously the director of policy for OPM. Two years into his career with OPM, he was appointed general counsel. He was then named Special Assistant to the President on the White House Staff.
In 2003, he was appointed Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Civil Rights in the George W. Bush
Administration and served in that position for more than 3 years, commuting between his home in Arizona and Washington D.C.
He was elected to the Paradise Valley City Council in 2008 with 67% of the vote and chosen by the council to serve as mayor. He is the first African-American Mayor
of Paradise Valley, a mostly white city.
On January 29, 2010, Parker announced he was running for Congress in Arizona's 3rd congressional district
, aiming to succeed retiring U.S. Congressman John Shadegg
. Maricopa County Sheriff
Joe Arpaio
, former Congressman and Chairman of the Arizona Republican Party
Matt Salmon
and Phoenix City Councilman Sal DiCicco have endorsed his candidacy. He raised over $230,000 in the first quarter of 2010 for his bid.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He is a member of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
currently serves as Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Paradise Valley, Arizona
Paradise Valley, Arizona
Paradise Valley is a small, affluent town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. According to the 2005 Census Bureau, the population of the town was 14,558. Despite the town's relatively small area and population compared to other municipalities in the Phoenix metropolitan area, Paradise...
and is a candidate for the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in Arizona's 3rd congressional district
Arizona's 3rd congressional district
Arizona's 3rd congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of Arizona and contains most of the northern portion of the city of Phoenix as well as some of its northern suburbs...
, running to succeed retiring U.S. Congressman John Shadegg
John Shadegg
John Barden Shadegg is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1995 until 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party.The district, numbered as the 4th District before the 2000 Census, includes much of northern Phoenix....
.
Education
Parker attended Long Beach Community College, California State University, Long BeachCalifornia State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach is the second largest campus of the California State University system and the third largest university in the state of California by enrollment...
, where he majored in Finance
Finance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
and Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center is the law school of Georgetown University, located in Washington, D.C.. Established in 1870, the Law Center offers J.D., LL.M., and S.J.D. degrees in law...
, where he served as editor-in-chief of the Georgetown American Criminal Law Review.
Personal life
Parker was born in Houston, TexasHouston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
to a poor mother and was eventually sent to live with his grandmother in Long Beach, California. He did well in high school and attended Long Beach Community College because it was free. He then attended California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach is the second largest campus of the California State University system and the third largest university in the state of California by enrollment...
, and upon graduation began to work at Rockwell International
Rockwell International
Rockwell International was a major American manufacturing conglomerate in the latter half of the 20th century, involved in aircraft, the space industry, both defense-oriented and commercial electronics, automotive and truck components, printing presses, valves and meters, and industrial automation....
. He purchased a house at this time, but sold it when he got an offer to attend Georgetown University Law School. His Grandmother and Mother worked cleaning houses to help him make it through law school, and his brother gave him all the money he could spare. "I realized that me going to law school was not as an individual, but as something for my family, something for my community." He said in an interview with the American Spectator.
At law school, after being spurned by graduates of Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
Universities, he was part of a study group with non-Ivy League students, where he met his future wife, who had attended Arizona State.
Parker has started his own law firm as well as his own small business. Parker had served as interim Pastor of his Church. He is a Member of Greater Phoenix Salvation Army Advisory Board, he had served on the board of Christian Family Care Agency and served on the board of Starshine Academy Charter School.
Political career
After graduating from California State University, Long BeachCalifornia State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach is the second largest campus of the California State University system and the third largest university in the state of California by enrollment...
, he worked as an analyst at Rockwell International
Rockwell International
Rockwell International was a major American manufacturing conglomerate in the latter half of the 20th century, involved in aircraft, the space industry, both defense-oriented and commercial electronics, automotive and truck components, printing presses, valves and meters, and industrial automation....
before he accepted an offer to attend Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center is the law school of Georgetown University, located in Washington, D.C.. Established in 1870, the Law Center offers J.D., LL.M., and S.J.D. degrees in law...
.
After finishing his law degree, Parker worked on George H.W. Bush's 1988 presidential campaign and went on to serve on the staff of the Office of Personnel Management
Office of Personnel Management
The United States Office of Personnel Management is an independent agency of the United States government that manages the civil service of the federal government. The current Director is John Berry.-History:...
for 4 years. His first position in the federal government as counselor to the director of the Office of Personnel Management(OPM). He was simultaneously the director of policy for OPM. Two years into his career with OPM, he was appointed general counsel. He was then named Special Assistant to the President on the White House Staff.
In 2003, he was appointed Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Civil Rights in the George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
Administration and served in that position for more than 3 years, commuting between his home in Arizona and Washington D.C.
He was elected to the Paradise Valley City Council in 2008 with 67% of the vote and chosen by the council to serve as mayor. He is the first African-American Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Paradise Valley, a mostly white city.
On January 29, 2010, Parker announced he was running for Congress in Arizona's 3rd congressional district
Arizona's 3rd congressional district
Arizona's 3rd congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of Arizona and contains most of the northern portion of the city of Phoenix as well as some of its northern suburbs...
, aiming to succeed retiring U.S. Congressman John Shadegg
John Shadegg
John Barden Shadegg is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1995 until 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party.The district, numbered as the 4th District before the 2000 Census, includes much of northern Phoenix....
. Maricopa County Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
Joe Arpaio
Joe Arpaio
Joseph M. "Joe" Arpaio is the elected Sheriff of Maricopa County in the U.S. state of Arizona. First voted into office in 1992, Arpaio is responsible for law enforcement in Maricopa County. This includes management of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, county jail, courtroom security,...
, former Congressman and Chairman of the Arizona Republican Party
Arizona Republican Party
The Arizona Republican Party is the affiliate of the Republican Party in Arizona. Its headquarters is in Phoenix.- Elected officers of the State Committee:- State Executive Committee :- State Committee :* The 15 county Republican chairmen...
Matt Salmon
Matt Salmon
Matthew James "Matt" Salmon is a former Republican Congressional Representative from Arizona. In 2002, he lost to Janet Napolitano in a highly competitive Arizona governor's race.-Early life, education, and business career:...
and Phoenix City Councilman Sal DiCicco have endorsed his candidacy. He raised over $230,000 in the first quarter of 2010 for his bid.