George G.C. Parker

The Dean Witter Distinguished Professor of Finance, Emeritus
Academic Area:
George G.C. Parker

Bio

Parker is the Dean Witter Distinguished Professor of Finance, Emeritus at Stanford Graduate School of Business. He teaches or has taught courses in corporate finance in the Stanford MBA Program, Stanford MSx Program, and in various Executive Education programs at the school. He is also codirector of the Financial Management Program and the Finance and Accounting for Nonfinancial Executive Program. Prior to joining the faculty at Stanford in 1973, Parker was an assistant and associate professor of finance at Columbia University in New York City.

Parker was the recipient of the 2000 Robert T. Davis Award for Faculty Lifetime Achievement at Stanford Graduate School of Business and the 2006 Distinguished Teaching Award in the Stanford MBA Program. In addition, Parker serves on four boards of directors of listed, publicly traded companies, one mutual fund company, one privately held company, and one nonprofit organization. In addition, he has served from 2003 to the present as the faculty chairman of the Advisory Panel on Investment Responsibility for the Board of Trustees of Stanford University. Between 1977 and 1989, Parker served as a trustee of Haverford College, his undergraduate alma mater. Parker holds an MBA and PhD degree from Stanford Graduate School of Business from the classes of 1962 and 1967, respectively. Between 1962 and 1964, he was a member of the United States Peace Corps in Peru.

Administrative Titles

Co-Director, Finance and Accounting for the Nonfinancial Executive

Stanford University Affiliations

  • Chair Stanford Board of Trustees Committee on Investment Responsibilities 2003–08
  • Member Stanford Bookstore Advisory Board 2000–present
  • President Stanford Faculty Club 1979–82

Academic Degrees

  • PhD, Stanford Graduate School of Business, 1967
  • MBA, Stanford Graduate School of Business, 1962
  • BA, Haverford College, 1960

Academic Appointments

  • At Stanford since 1973
  • Assistant-Associate Professor, Columbia University, 1967–73
  • Visiting Associate Professor, Universidad del Valle, Colombia, 1967

Awards and Honors

  • Eponym of the George G.C. Parker Professorship (endowed by former students), 2008
  • Distinguished Teaching Award, Stanford MBA Program, 2006
  • Stanford Business School Lifetime Achievement Award for Teaching and Faculty Service, 2002

Service to the Profession

Director

    • Colony Financial Corporation, 2010-present
    • Threshold Pharmaceuticals, 2006-present
    • First Republic Bank, 2002-present
    • iShares/Blackrock Mutual Funds, 2002-2014

    Member

      • American Finance Association, 1999-present
      • Financial Management Association, 1999-present
      • Board of Trustees, Haverford College, Haverford, PA 1980-1991

      Chair

        • iShares/Blackrock Mutual Funds, 2009-2012

        Professional Experience

        • Assistant to the President, Community National Bank, 1964–65
        • Volunteer, U.S. Peace Corps in Peru, 1962–64

        Research Statement

        George Parker’s teaching and research interests are primarily in the field of corporate finance, management of financial institutions, and corporate governance. He is the author of numerous case studies related to these subjects which are used in the MBA program at Stanford and other schools. He has also authored several articles on capital structure, risk management, and corporate valuation.

        Journal Articles

        George G.C. Parker, Daniel Cooperman
        Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis
        1978 Vol. 13 Issue 5 Pages 885-902
        George G.C. Parker, Robert P. Shay
        Journal of Finance
        1974 Vol. 29 Issue 1 Pages 217-225

        Working Papers

        Executive Education & Other Non-Degree Programs

        Learn how to make better financial management decisions to increase the value of your company in the marketplace.

        Cases

        Alan Rappaport, George Parker, Jaclyn Foroughi
        2015
        George Parker, Alan Rappaport, Jaclyn Foroughi
        2013
        George Parker, Alan Rappaport, Jaclyn Foroughi
        2013
        George Parker, Alan Rappaport, Jaclyn Foroughi, Vanessa Lide
        2013

        In the Media

        Insights by Stanford Business

        April 01, 2006
        The Southwest Airlines chairman and former CEO explains the business philosophy that has his company thriving in the brutal airline industry.

        School News

        November 15, 2018
        The Sloan — now Stanford MSx — Program has evolved in many ways in the last six decades. Here are six of the most significant changes.
        June 20, 2018
        Alumni and friends of Jack McDonald gather for the official renaming celebration of the life and legacy of the GSB's beloved professor of 50 years.
        April 26, 2018
        Two new awards recognize outstanding academic achievement by Sloan Fellows in the Stanford MSx Program.
        April 23, 2018
        Two first-time political candidates talk about applying the lessons they learned at Stanford GSB.