Parker attended the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, where he was a Morehead Scholar. He went on to attend the Babcock Graduate School of Management, then earned a juris doctorate degree from Wake Forest's School of Law. This former lawyer became a financial consultant back in 1984, first with Merrill Lynch, then at Interstate/Johnson Lane, before going independent with Resource Management Associates in 1989. Now he and sons Tripp and Arturo work together to create individualized financial plans to help meet their clients' investment goals.

He and his wife, Lynda, are both active volunteers in their community. Parker has served on the board of a number of organizations for many years. In that time, he has served as a past president of the Louisburg/Franklin County Chamber of Commerce; co-founder and past president of both Franklin County Habitat for Humanity and Franklin County Ducks Unlimited; past president and chairman of the board of the North Carolina Forestry Association; and a former member of the boards of trustees for St. Timothy's Middle/Hale High School, Ravenscroft School, Louisburg College, NC State University Investment Fund (endowments) and the NC Forestry Foundation. Parker is very active in his beloved Louisburg Baptist Church, where he serves as a deacon, Sunday school teacher and choir member. In his downtime, Parker can be found hunting, fishing or traveling with his family and friends, and spoiling his five grandchildren.