As President of The Dayton Foundation, Mr. Parks works to help people and organizations help others in Greater Dayton and beyond. Each year, the generosity of donors and the work of The Dayton Foundation impact the quality of life throughout Greater Dayton. Last year, through nearly 3,000 donor funds, the Foundation distributed over 16,000 grants totaling $41 million to charitable organizations and to efforts fostering the betterment of our region.

In the seven years 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 most recently was 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 include the Dayton Metro Library Levy Campaign Finance Committee, Dayton Regional Network, Downtown Dayton Master Plan Funding Committee, Five Rivers MetroParks Levy Campaign Executive Committee, Greater Dayton Commission on Minority Inclusion, Midwest Community Foundations Venture (a Midwest regional collaborative of community foundations) and Montgomery County Five Year Financial Plan Task Force. He also chairs the Homeless Solutions Task Force Funding Committee. In addition to having served on the The Ohio Grantmakers Forum (OGF) Board of Trustees, Mr. Parks serves on The OGF Community Foundation and Public Policy committees, chairs The OGF Diversity and Inclusion Committee and is a member of the Larger Community Foundations National Conference 2010 Planning Committee. He also volunteers as a coach of youth sports and serves on the Bishop Fenwick High School Advisory Board.

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 27 years and have four children, ages 13 to 23.