After being a purchaser of hotels at the Maxwell Company for 11 years, in 1969, Leonard Parker founded the Parker Company and continued to serve the hospitality industry for the next five decades. (He was an early inductee into Platinum Circle.) To this day, his legacy lives on through three of his sons: Doug (partner, president, and CEO), Philip (partner and COO of the OS&E division), and Mitch (partner and COO of the FF&E division), who collectively uphold their father’s reputation for integrity and transparency in purchasing practices, allowing Leonard to take a much-needed backseat in a consultant role. “Our father set the industry standard for serving the customer,” says Mitch, “which was the core value he instilled in his sons.” Adds Doug:
“It’s important that purchasing agents are very involved in the process, with assisting architects, designers, and project managers in moving the project forward.”
As their first major achievement, the Parker Company serviced Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, and has since expanded its presence to working on hotels around the world—including all major hotel companies and many significant independent properties, including the recently opened TWA Hotel (a collaboration between Beyer Binder Belle, Lubrano Ciavarra Architects, Stonehill Taylor, and INC Architecture & Design) and the Shinola Hotel in Detroit (designed by Gachot Studios). With an ever-expanding résumé, the Miami-based company has opened offices in London, Dubai, and Zurich with 90 employees worldwide.
Since its inception, the purchasing firm has been standing strong on three moral pillars: fair treatment and respect of the vendors, a commitment to clients, and a high level of service. “We have the most experienced project directors in the industry,” says Mitch, “and they are using the most comprehensive proprietary procurement technology available.”
“It’s been a wonderful experience working with our father as a mentor,” says Doug. “Now we have nephews and sons in the business. We’re proud we’ve been able to build and sustain something that the next generation will continue.”
The TWA Hotel in New York, a collaboration between Beyer Blinder Belle, Lubrano Ciavarra Architects, Stonehill Taylor, and INC Architecture & Design
The Shinola Hotel in Detroit, with architecture by Kraemer Design Group and interiors by Gachot
The Conrad Washington DC, with architecture by Herzog & de Meuron and interiors by Rottet Studio
A guestroom in the TWA Hotel, with interiors by Stonehill Taylor
The lobby at the Shinola Hotel
The Birdy Room at the Shinola Hotel
