Bryan Parker is a healthcare and tech executive with degrees from University of California Berkeley and NYU. Though he has never held elected office, he is a former chair of Oakland’s Workforce Investment Board and he is currently serving as a Commissioner for the Port of Oakland. He was appointed to that position by current Mayor Jean Quan. He made news earlier this year with a very successful crowdfunding campaign, and is a supporter of the alternative internet currency Bitcoin.
Parker is not originally from Oakland, but he has long loved the city.
Bryan Parker: "My first memory were as a child, when the A's where winning their championships. I fell in love with the place. I knew it was a place that I wanted to live at some point. To me, Oakland was all about the possible. When you fall in love with something, at least for me, it was associated with winning, and excitement. And also resiliency. I mean I look at the Raiders, and yes we look at those as sports, but I looked at them as a team that were the blue-collar, lunch-pail-type crowd that fought, would knock you in the mouth if they needed too, but they going to be resilient and get it done. I guess that's what really stands out to me is the whole thing of never being counted out."
Click the audio player above to listen to the complete interview with Bryan Parker.
