IOWA CITY — The University of Iowa Athletics Department has named Joe Parker as Deputy Athletic Director for Strategic Initiatives and Chief Operating Officer.
The announcement was made Tuesday by Beth Goetz, Henry B. and Patricia B. Tippie Director of Athletics Chair. Parker will begin his duties with the Hawkeyes on July 1, 2024.
“Joe will be an outstanding addition to our leadership team and the Iowa community. He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge that I know will have a positive impact on our coaches, staff and student-athletes,” said Goetz.
His time as a student-athlete helped steer him toward a career in athletics administration. Parker is a proven athletics administrator with leadership experience at several collegiate programs, including the Colorado State University, Texas Tech University, University of Michigan, University of Oklahoma, University of Texas and Washington State University.
Parker most recently served as the director of athletics at Colorado State from 2015-24. Under his leadership, the Rams won 24 Mountain West titles, second-most among any program in the league. In addition to Colorado State’s success on the field, Parker was successful with sponsorships, facilities, academics and fundraising. The native of Battle Creek, Michigan, orchestrated facilities design, funding and new construction for numerous projects, including the new on-campus $220 million football stadium, which returned on campus for the first time in 50 years.
During his time as Deputy A.D. at Texas Tech, he oversaw a Big 12 Conference program with 17 teams and an annual budget of $68.5 million. Under Parker’s leadership in building excitement and engagement among Red Raider fans, the university achieved first-ever sellouts for football season tickets and broke attendance records in football, men’s basketball and baseball. In addition, Parker has been involved in all Title IX and Gender Equity issues at Texas tech. During his tenure, Parker also led programs to boost the classroom success of student-athletes and led the development and recent launch of a current $185 million fundraising campaign.
Parker joined his alma mater in 2003 and was a member of the executive staff at Michigan for eight years, responsible for the ongoing assessment, design, installation and management of the strategic plan for the Wolverine athletics department. He served as a key member of the department’s four-person project team that was responsible for more than $400 million in capital improvements. These capital improvement projects included the Ross Academic Center, the Michigan Stadium renovation, the Wilpon Baseball and Softball Complex, Football locker rooms, new Glick Fieldhouse, Junge Family Champions Center, Basketball Player Development Center, Bahna Wrestling Center, and Soccer Complex. Parker helped secure $14 million in annual gift revenue and more than $31 million in major gifts to support the football stadium renovation project.
His roots as a former student-athlete served as a guidepost as a member of the department’s six-person Athletics Program Administrators Unit, which manages all 27 sports programs at Michigan. The unit is responsible for evaluating, counseling coaches, setting program policies, financial planning and other decisions necessary to operate each individual program.
A key component to Parker’s successful career in athletics administration began in 1983, when he joined the University of Michigan Swimming & Diving program as a freshman. Parker lettered four seasons for the Wolverines and was a three-time All-American (1984, 1985 and 1987) and team captain. In his senior season, Parker earned both a gold and bronze medal at the 1987 World University Games in Zagreb, Yugoslavia.
Parker earned a master’s degree from Texas in 1994 and during that time served the Longhorns athletics department as a development manager. During his time in Austin, he served as a member of the senior staff and three-person planning committee which developed the department’s recommendation for the football stadium renovation. He also managed the department’s annual giving program and coordinated the season ticket process for Longhorn Foundation donors.
Parker moved to the Pac-10 and Washington State University in 1998, where he served as director of annual giving. While with the Cougars, he managed the annual giving program and provided a leadership role for major gift efforts. He was also responsible for statewide donor events as well as prospect stewardship and cultivation.
His next move came in 2000, when he headed to the Big 12 Conference and the University of Oklahoma, where he served the athletics department as director of the Sooner Club until 2003. While in Norman, Parker provided leadership support for a $120 million capital campaign for athletic facility improvements. He also designed and implemented a new premium seating program, which funded 70-percent of the $75 million football stadium renovation and expansion. During his tenure at OU, the annual giving increased more than 270-percent to a record $12.5 million in 2003.
Parker earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Michigan in 1987 and his M.B.A from Texas in 1994. He and his wife, Jennie, have two children, Emma and Will.
