Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Southern California Names New Chief Executive Officer

LOS ANGELES, May 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Southern California (RMHCSC) recently named Rob Parker as the organization's new CEO, effective June 2011. Parker has nearly 30 years of experience in organizational leadership on a local, national and international level with various non-profits, including 21 years in a president/CEO role, with organizations such as Wisdom Transfer, Inc., Kiwanis International and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

"I look forward to working closely with our regional and local boards, our staff, McDonald's owner/operator community and countless other volunteers and supporters in Southern California," said Parker. "I am inspired by RMHCSC's mission to provide comfort, care and support to children and families in their hour of greatest need and am extremely optimistic about the potential of this important organization."

As CEO, Parker will oversee the operation of RMHCSC programs, including Ronald McDonald Houses in Bakersfield, Loma Linda, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Orange and Pasadena, Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times in Idyllwild, a community grants program and four scholarship programs.

Parker will work with all RMHCSC programs in order to realize the organization's vision to create a community where children and their families embrace life and healing with a sense of hope, enthusiasm, comfort and joy.

Parker was most recently the president and chief executive officer of Wisdom Transfer, Inc., a professional services firm, where he served as an organizational consultant, public speaker and executive coach with a focus on strategic planning, executive team development, marketing and communications, fundraising, and board development. Prior to his work with Wisdom Transfer, Parker worked with Kiwanis International as its CEO. At Kiwanis, he created a comprehensive leadership development program for 80,000 volunteer positions and launched an initiative to make Kiwanis attractive to the next generation of volunteer and community leaders.  

"When searching for our new CEO, it was critical for us to find an experienced individual who displayed exemplary leadership skills, as well as a strong desire to address the current needs of Southern California," said Ron Piazza, president, RMHCSC board of directors and local McDonald's owner/operator. "We have found that in Rob Parker. His broad experience working with children and families during previous work experiences will help position us as a leader in providing much needed services and support to those in need."

Rob and his wife Stephanie have two children and three grandchildren, and enjoy working together on projects for their local church and their favorite charities.

Throughout nine California counties, RMHCSC currently operates five Ronald McDonald Houses, Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times, two Ronald McDonald Family Rooms, a Community Grants Board, and four scholarship programs for exemplary high school students.  The Ronald McDonald Houses, located in Bakersfield, Loma Linda, Los Angeles, Orange County and Pasadena, with one scheduled to open this year in Long Beach, provide shelter, support and comfort for families of children receiving treatment at nearby medical facilities.  Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times provides free sleep-away camp experiences for kids with cancer and their families.  The Ronald McDonald Family Rooms, located in CHOC Children's and CHOC Children's Mission Hospital in Orange and Mission Viejo respectively, provide the comfort and care of a Ronald McDonald House in a hospital setting.  The Community Grants Board has awarded nearly 700 grants totaling more than $15.5 million to Southern California organizations that directly benefit children.  RMHCSC grants, which are awarded to non-profit organizations that focus on healthcare, education and arts, and civic and social interests, are traditionally made to help start a new program, purchase equipment or goods or help in the expansion of services.  The four scholarship programs have awarded more than $3.6 million in college scholarships to deserving high school seniors since 1990.

SOURCE Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California