You are here

George G.C. Parker

George G.C. Parker
Professor Emeritus, Finance
Contact Info
GeorgeG.C.Parker
Dean Witter Distinguished Professor of Finance, Emeritus
Academic Area: 
Finance
Additional Administrative Titles
Faculty Director, Stanford MSx Program
Co-Director, Finance and Accounting for the Nonfinancial Executive Program

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.

Bio

George Parker is the Dean Witter Distinguished Professor of Finance (Emeritus) at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He teaches or has taught courses in Corporate Finance in the MBA Program, Stanford MSx Program for Executives, and in various other Executive Education Programs at the School. He is also Co-Director of the Financial Management Program and the Finance and Accounting for Non-financial Executives Program. Prior to joining the faculty at Stanford in 1973, Professor Parker was an Assistant and Associate Professor of Finance at Columbia University in New York City.

Professor Parker was the recipient of the 2000 Robert T. Davis Award for Faculty Lifetime Achievement at the Graduate School of Business and the 2006 Distinguished Teaching Award in the Stanford MBA Program. In addition, Professor 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 1977-1989, Professor Parker served as a Trustee of Haverford College, his undergraduate alma mater. Professor Parker holds an MBA and PhD degree from the Stanford Business school from the classes of 1962 and 1967, respectively. Between 1962-64, he was a member of the United States Peace Corps in Peru.

Academic Degrees

  • PhD, Stanford GSB, 1967
  • MBA, Stanford GSB, 1962
  • BA, Haverford College, 1960

Academic Appointments

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

Professional Experience

  • Assistant to the President, Community National Bank, 1964-1965
  • U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer in Peru, 1962-1964

Awards and Honors

  • Stanford Business School Lifetime Achievment Award for Teaching and Faculty Service, 2002
  • Distinguished Teaching Award, Stanford GSB MBA Students, 2006
  • Person to whom the George G.C. Parker Professorship is named - A professorship endowed by former students, 2008

Publications

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

Courses Taught

Degree Courses

2015-16

The Private Wealth Management and Private Investing course will address issues that relate to the management of personal assets as opposed to institutional investing. It will cover the historical origins and growth of private wealth management,...

This 2-unit elective at the GSB is an analytical review and overview of private equity partnerships. The course looks at all aspects of private equity investing and may be of interest to five groups of students: (i) students who aspire to be...

2014-15

The Private Wealth Management and Private Investing course will address issues that relate to the management of personal assets as opposed to institutional investing. It will cover the historical origins and growth of private wealth management,...

This is a 9-week speaker series, exposing students to the world of first-class public market investors. Each week will have a different visitor describing their investment philosophy, strategy and experience. Full attendance is a requirement to...

This 2-unit elective at the GSB is an analytical review and overview of private equity partnerships. The course looks at all aspects of private equity investing and may be of interest to five groups of students: (i) students who aspire to be...

The Critical Analytical Thinking (CAT) seminar helps develop and hone the skills needed to analyze complex issues, to formulate well-reasoned arguments and to evaluate others€™ arguments. In sections of 18 students or less, you will analyze,...

Stanford Case Studies

The Decision | F310
Alan Rappaport, George Parker, Jaclyn Foroughi2015
Richard Lund Personal Wealth and Philanthropy | F308
George Parker, Alan Rappaport, Jaclyn Foroughi2013
Rina Castillo Implementing Asset Allocation Principles | F307
George Parker, Alan Rappaport, Jaclyn Foroughi2013
Schroder Family (A): Personal Wealth, Family, and Estates | F306A
George Parker, Alan Rappaport, Jaclyn Foroughi, Vanessa Lide2013
Schroder Family (B): Setting an Investment Strategy | F306B
George Parker, Alan Rappaport, Jaclyn Foroughi2013
Tech Roads, Incorporated | F271
Katherine Bose, George Parker2007
CASE TITLE | F266
George G. C. Parker, Jesse R. Sandoval2003
Gap Inc. (A) | F267(A)
David Berry, George Parker2003
MEMC Electronic Materials | F264
Eraic Bannasch, Jim Coulter, Todd Dashefsky, George Parker2003
Standard Manufacturing Company | F168
George Parker2003
Tri-Tech Computer | F234
George Parker, Ann Pattyn2003
Wel-Bilt Furniture Company | F202
George Parker2003
Internet Capital Group | E119
Victoria Chang, George Parker2002
Continental Airlines | F256
George Parker, Margot Sutherland2000
Affymax, N.V., An Initial Offering | F246
Rami Chalduri, George Parker, David Singer1992
Aloha Airlines, Inc. | F240
George Parker1992
Ford Motor Company, Dividend Policy | F239
Inghie Kwik, George G. C. Parker1992
Pacific Systems | F245
George Parker1992
Time Warner Inc. | F241
Howard Corb, George Parker1992

Stanford University Affiliations

Greater Stanford University

  • Chair, Stanford Board of Trustees Committee on Investment Responsibilities, 2003-2008
  • Member, Stanford Bookstore Advisory Board, 2000-Present
  • President, Stanford Faculty Club, 1979-1982

Service to the Profession

Director

  • Colony Financial Corporation, 2010-present
  • Threshold Pharmaceuticals, 2006-present
  • First Republic Bank, 2002-present
  • iShares/Blackstone Mutual Funds, 2002-2014
  • Tejon Ranch Corporation, 2000-2014
  • Continental Airlines, 1996-20009
  • California Casualty Insurance Group, 1978-present

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

In the Media

House Committee on Financial Services, 12 7, 2012
Anat Admati offers Congressional testimony on capital standards.
World Lecture Project, October 5, 2002
San Francisco Examiner, May 16, 2000
Harvard Business Review, January 1971

Insights by Stanford Business

April 1, 2006
The Southwest Airlines chairman and former CEO explains the business philosophy that has his company thriving in the brutal airline industry.

School News

October 15, 2008
George G.C. Parker, the Dean Witter Distinguished Professor of Finance, Emeritus, is the inspiration for a number of colleagues, friends and former students to establish an endowed chair in his honor.