David Parker Appreciation Night

The David Parker Appreciation Night gathered over 300 members of the Calgary business community to celebrate David Parker's 50 years of championing the city's local organizations and entrepreneurs on September 17 at the Fairmont Palliser in downtown Calgary.

David Parker's story epitomizes the Calgary experience. Parker emigrated from England to Calgary with his wife in 1963. Over the course of his career he has worked for numerous publications and for the Calgary Economic Development Authority, where he was the Director of Communications and Film Services and was eventually awarded the Iris Award in 1994 for his efforts on behalf of the film industry. Since 1995, Parker has established his own company as a marketing and communications consultant while also writing three articles a week for the Calgary Herald.

Beyond the David Parker Appreciation Night there has been an outpouring of admiration as reported on by Mario Toneguzzi and covered by Bill Brooks in the Calgary Herald.

The David Parker Appreciation Night planning committee, which initiated the event, consisted of Ron Kurczaba and Niha Kroliczek from Riddell Kurczaba; Michael Kehoe and Lorrie Whiteway from Fairfield Commercial Real Estate; and Denise Baril of the Workplace Speaker Network. Master of Ceremonies for the evening, George Brookman from West Canadian, led the event and wrangled the roasters who represented some of Calgary's most successful enterprises.

Speakers for the evening included Michael Kehoe, Rosemarie Enslin, John Dong, Peggy Perry, Jim Button, Richard Gottfried, Sharon Carry and Ron Kurczaba.

Jayne Ruttan, David Parker's daughter, also spoke at the event and captured everyone with stories of a loving and caring father who was not only an inspiration in her life but also in the lives of David's grandchildren.

David Parker, who spoke as the guest of honor, was astonished that the event had sold-out within two weeks and expressed his deepest gratitude to everyone in attendance. Parker plans to continue writing about Calgary businesses and is happy to be considered part of the entrepreneurial spirit that he thinks makes this city so great.