In fall 2023, Reston Community Center accepted the resignation of its Community Events Director who left to pursue another career opportunity. At the time, there was a full menu of upcoming community events on RCC’s calendar that included the annual Thanksgiving Food Drive, holiday concerts at Reston Town Center, the annual Reston Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration, weekly Community Coffees and planning meetings for the spring calendar of offerings in the Offsite and Collaboration department. Bill Parker was asked to step into the position of Community Events Director on an acting capacity basis to provide continuity and support to this program menu while also sustaining his workload as the RCC Box Office Manager.

Bill absorbed the added workload without missing a beat. He provided the position’s event coordination, administrative support and logistical planning in collaboration with the agency’s Offsite and Collaboration Director and Assistant Theatre Technical Director. He managed the procurement activities and myriad rentals required by the events. The CenterStage and Community Room performance calendars during this same period are at peak activity levels due to holiday-themed performances. Despite the significant added workload, Bill’s typically ebullient demeanor never faltered and the work he delivered was of consistently high quality, accuracy, reliability and timeliness.

In late 2023, the position of RCC Facility Services Director opened and Bill competed for it successfully. From his appointment to that position on December 18, 2023, to the present, he has continued to provide the support required of the Box Office Manager position and Community Events Director position until that was filled in late February. Bill managed the three roles with efficiency, excellence and good humor.

Bill’s dedication to the mission, vision and values of RCC is unquestionable and his consistently high performance regardless of the role he is asked to play are hallmarks of his work ethic and passion for public service. He is always positive and has tremendous teamwork skills. The events he has supported during the past five months have garnered attendance at the highest levels for them since 2019 and occurred with seamless coordination. Bill’s ever-present can-do spirit is infectious and inspiring.

Outstanding Performance Awards (OPAs) provide recognition to RCC employees who perform the duties and responsibilities of their positions in an outstanding manner, and whose work is generally well above expectations. Bill Parker brought consistent excellence to all three roles he performed for Reston Community Center for which he is congratulated and deeply appreciated.