Loren Parks | |
---|---|
Born |
Wichita, Kansas, U.S. | July 27, 1926
Died | October 13, 2023
Hillsboro, Oregon, U.S. | (aged 97)
Education | B.A. Psychology |
Occupation | Businessman |
Loren Ernest Parks (July 27, 1926 – October 13, 2023) was an American businessman from the state of Nevada. He previously lived in Oregon, from 1957 to 2002, [1] and was the biggest political contributor in the history of that state. [2] He financed numerous ballot measure initiative petitions and campaigns from the mid-1990s. He also contributed heavily to races for prominent offices by his attorney, Kevin Mannix, a frequent chief petitioner of ballot campaigns.
Loren Ernest Parks was born in Wichita, Kansas, on July 27, 1926. [2] He served in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. [2] He had a bacehlor of arts in psychology, [3] having studied at five different universities. He spoke several languages. [2] Parks married Auramae in 1951 while living in Minneapolis, Minnesota. [2] The marriage produced three children, Gary, Raymond and Nancy (Sopp) before a divorce in 1972. [2] [4]
Parks started a business while living in Aloha, Oregon, in the Portland area. He founded Parks Medical Electronics in 1961. The business sold a number of instruments, including a plethysmograph, which measures the blood flow to sexual organs and is used in treating sexual dysfunction and assessing the arousal of sex offenders. [2]
From 1996 to 2006, Parks contributed over $6 million to various political campaigns – far more than any other individual, and more than most organized lobbies. [2] His entry into backing political concerns followed the passage of Ballot Measure 5 in 1990. [2] His support was instrumental in launching Oregon Taxpayers United, according to executive director Bill Sizemore. [2] Parks' dominance of the ballot measure system was said to undermine the grassroots intent of the system. [5] Parks made contributions to uphold the Oregon Death with Dignity Act in 1997. [2]
Parks was also a strong supporter of former state legislator and gubernatorial candidate Kevin Mannix. Mannix served as Parks' attorney. [6] Parks' staff once said: "Mr. Parks thinks Kevin is one of the few leaders who keeps his word and gets things done." [2] Parks did not indiscriminately back Mannix's proposed measures. In 2008, for instance, he declined to fund a proposed initiative that would have allowed for expanded local regulation of strip clubs. As a result, Mannix stopped pursuing ballot qualification. [7] In 2008, Parks was the source of over half the money used to qualify ballot measures for the statewide ballot. [8] None of the measures he supported in that year was successful. [9] In March 2014, Parks gave a $30,000 donation to Greg Barreto (R) of Cove, Oregon towards his campaign for Oregon state legislature. [10] That donation was returned in April. [11]
In 2001, a former employee filed a sexual harassment complaint and lawsuit against Parks. [6] Parks moved from Oregon to Henderson, Nevada, in 2002. [2] Parks was also a major contributor to charitable organizations, including health care and environmental concerns. [2] Parks was not religious, but was a believer in faith healing. [2] Parks died in Hillsboro, Oregon, on October 13, 2023, at the age of 97. [12]
Loren Parks | |
---|---|
Born |
Wichita, Kansas, U.S. | July 27, 1926
Died | October 13, 2023
Hillsboro, Oregon, U.S. | (aged 97)
Education | B.A. Psychology |
Occupation | Businessman |
Loren Ernest Parks (July 27, 1926 – October 13, 2023) was an American businessman from the state of Nevada. He previously lived in Oregon, from 1957 to 2002, [1] and was the biggest political contributor in the history of that state. [2] He financed numerous ballot measure initiative petitions and campaigns from the mid-1990s. He also contributed heavily to races for prominent offices by his attorney, Kevin Mannix, a frequent chief petitioner of ballot campaigns.
Loren Ernest Parks was born in Wichita, Kansas, on July 27, 1926. [2] He served in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. [2] He had a bacehlor of arts in psychology, [3] having studied at five different universities. He spoke several languages. [2] Parks married Auramae in 1951 while living in Minneapolis, Minnesota. [2] The marriage produced three children, Gary, Raymond and Nancy (Sopp) before a divorce in 1972. [2] [4]
Parks started a business while living in Aloha, Oregon, in the Portland area. He founded Parks Medical Electronics in 1961. The business sold a number of instruments, including a plethysmograph, which measures the blood flow to sexual organs and is used in treating sexual dysfunction and assessing the arousal of sex offenders. [2]
From 1996 to 2006, Parks contributed over $6 million to various political campaigns – far more than any other individual, and more than most organized lobbies. [2] His entry into backing political concerns followed the passage of Ballot Measure 5 in 1990. [2] His support was instrumental in launching Oregon Taxpayers United, according to executive director Bill Sizemore. [2] Parks' dominance of the ballot measure system was said to undermine the grassroots intent of the system. [5] Parks made contributions to uphold the Oregon Death with Dignity Act in 1997. [2]
Parks was also a strong supporter of former state legislator and gubernatorial candidate Kevin Mannix. Mannix served as Parks' attorney. [6] Parks' staff once said: "Mr. Parks thinks Kevin is one of the few leaders who keeps his word and gets things done." [2] Parks did not indiscriminately back Mannix's proposed measures. In 2008, for instance, he declined to fund a proposed initiative that would have allowed for expanded local regulation of strip clubs. As a result, Mannix stopped pursuing ballot qualification. [7] In 2008, Parks was the source of over half the money used to qualify ballot measures for the statewide ballot. [8] None of the measures he supported in that year was successful. [9] In March 2014, Parks gave a $30,000 donation to Greg Barreto (R) of Cove, Oregon towards his campaign for Oregon state legislature. [10] That donation was returned in April. [11]
In 2001, a former employee filed a sexual harassment complaint and lawsuit against Parks. [6] Parks moved from Oregon to Henderson, Nevada, in 2002. [2] Parks was also a major contributor to charitable organizations, including health care and environmental concerns. [2] Parks was not religious, but was a believer in faith healing. [2] Parks died in Hillsboro, Oregon, on October 13, 2023, at the age of 97. [12]