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How’d I Get Here?: Jim Parker’s Story

Posted By: Matt Bales, Ginny Kirk Andrews, and Ciara Fischer
2 weeks ago
Jim parker headshot.

Introduction

Recently, our marketing team was able to get Summit founder Jim Parker to sit still for a while and give us the full scoop on the history of Summit Design and Engineering Services. Jim had a long path leading to his foundation of Summit—one that continues to shape our firm to this day—and we were very fortunate to hear about this journey in his own words.  (He is a busy guy, after all!).  

In the newest addition to our “How I Got Here” blog series, take a walk with Jim Parker as he recounts his humble beginnings, his early ventures into engineering, and the series of events that eventually led to his founding of our firm.  

Where are you from?

Born in High Point within the Piedmont region of North Carolina, Jim was brought up in Durham. As he launched his professional career, Jim found his way to Hillsborough—and  never left. Check out Jim recounting the tale of how he came to settle down in the town that would eventually become Summit’s birthplace. 

How did you become an engineer?

Whether he was constructing forts in the woods or trying to design his own golf course, Jim always had a knack for building things. Those passions carried him to North Carolina State University as an engineering major. We will let Jim tell you how he navigated college to become an engineer. 

How did you come to start Summit?

With a wife and kids to care for, Jim needed a job, and so began his non-traditional professional career which would one day lead to the formation of Summit. Here is Jim’s recollection of his path to the foundation of our firm: 

What were some of the pivotal moments at Summit?

Since we had Jim on the hot seat, our team wanted to take the opportunity to get his take on what he, personally, considered to be pivotal moments in Summit’s history, from its founding to where it stands today.  

Check Out the Full Video Below:

Full Video

What’s Next?

Summit is celebrating Jim’s 25th year of delivering projects to the communities we serve. We are grateful for his leadership and drive—and we thank him for sharing his journey with us today.  

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Recent Posts

  • How’d I Get Here?: Troy Dover’s Story March 15, 2023
  • How’d I Get Here?: Jim Parker’s Story March 8, 2023
  • Talent Beyond the Desk- Illustration February 8, 2023
  • 2022 End-of-the-Year Award Winners February 3, 2023
  • The Summit Story: Our President’s Perspective January 19, 2023

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Recent Posts

  • How’d I Get Here?: Troy Dover’s Story March 15, 2023
  • How’d I Get Here?: Jim Parker’s Story March 8, 2023
  • Talent Beyond the Desk- Illustration February 8, 2023
  • 2022 End-of-the-Year Award Winners February 3, 2023

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(919) 732-3883
320 Executive Court, Hillsborough, NC 27278, United States
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