March 31, 2017 - The Allen County Board of Commissioners, the City of Fort Wayne and Indiana Senate President Pro Tempore David Long today hosted a dedication ceremony to commemorate a portion of Hillegas Road being named the Eugene E. Parker Memorial Way in honor of the late Fort Wayne native and professional sports agent.
The ceremony took place in the parking lot of Burlington Coat Factory, located near the intersection of Hillegas and Illinois roads.
Parker, who passed away on March 31, 2016, was a standout athlete at Concordia Lutheran High School and Purdue University. After receiving his law degree from Valparaiso University, Parker went on to found his company, Maximum Sports Management. Among his clients were such high-profile athletes as Derrick Brooks, Walter Jones, Curtis Martin, Deion Sanders, Emmitt Smith, Aeneas Williams and Rod Woodson. Parker was named by Black Enterprise Magazine as one of the top 50 influential blacks in sports, and was ranked 45th in the Sports Illustrated list of the top 101 most influential minorities in sports.
The portion of Hillegas that's dedicated runs from Bass Road to Illinois Road.