Ode to Jim Parker

Even across the room my old friend and boss recognized me with his now 91 year old eyes. There was also that twinkle one would always see in his eyes when he saw somebody who had worked with him and enjoyed doing some catching up. Those who worked for him know about that twinkle.  I had come this November 2015 day to Clinton NC in response to his son's book signing event in his former hometown, but in truth I was really there to see my old friend who a former newspaper co-worker had alerted me was to be there. 

It was now over 37 years ago that I walked into his newspaper and began discussing the advertising job opening he had due to the recent promotion of salesperson to advertising director at the Sampson Independent.  Little known to me at the time Jim Parker had already pretty much decided I was the one he wanted to hire since I came with then some over 3 years of experience doing what he wanted to me to do at his newspaper, sell advertising  We talked that July 1978 day, and he and his new advertising director sized me up, and they offered me the job on the spot.  Never in my over 3 decades of seeking employment did I get that and on this day I was more than ready to accept since I was ready to come home to Eastern North Carolina from a time working at a newspaper in another state.  

Even today I consider the next nearly four years working for Jim Parker, and the next decade getting his advice before he retired,  maybe the most satisfying and most learning of my life and career. Over the four years of working at The Sampson Independent I would meet several lifelong friends. Over the next four years I would find enjoyment with working with a group of professionals still unequaled in my career.  Over the next three decades many of those I met there would keep in contact and consider ourselves blessed to have come together at that moment and that time. 

Jim Parker was without doubt the person with the most integrity, most class, and the finest boss I ever had the priviledge with which to work.   I expect he knew he had assembled a special team at the Sampson Independent during those heady late 1970's days of the newspaper business.   Jim knew to just point us in the right direction and let us go and good things would happen.   Good things did happen too not only in advertising revenue, but also in news and advertising awards, quality of work done in all the newspaper's departments, and lots of good times for those working there.  One of those times of one being at the right place at the right time. 

That group also did something else too in the newspaper industry I expect is unequaled today.  The Sampson Independent trained and sent out more publishers and newspaper department heads at that newspaper and to other newspapers that of my last count was more than four dozen. For a small daily newspaper of just under 10000 circulation that was unheard of, but then again Jim Parker was a special boss and special person who knew who to pick good quality staff.

Jim Parker literally oozed integrity when he spoke and when he directed staff.  Jim got his honors through the years, NC Press President for a term being one of the best known, but I expect knowing him the most joy he got was watching his employees grow in the newspaper profession and do well. One could tell that from that twinkle again in his eye when he spoke of someone who had worked for him and went off and did good as they say. Jim respected us and pushed us to achieve to our best and in return anyone who ever worked for him never had a bad word to say about him and would perform at their highest level to get his approval. 

So this weekend in Clinton I got to talk newspapers and other topics with my close friend Jim Parker and for a moment relive those wonderful days of working with him at The Sampson Independent all those years ago.  Of course during our conversation Jim Parker made talk of his old newspaper there in town and right on cue as the old editor made points of criticism about how he thought they could do a better job of covering the news.   Riding around Clinton before I headed back home I got to revisit some old haunts and rode by the newspaper office that is still there after over four decades plus.  What I would give to go back and do it all over again. 

Thank you Jim Parker for the memories, the years of setting an example I always wanted to live up to, and most importantly the personal approval that comes from those who see that twinkle in your eye and know that means they are and will always be part of your extended newspaper family.