WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sept. 3, 2025 — The Executive Leadership Council (ELC) will posthumously present Ronald C. Parker, former The ELC President & CEO and long-serving PepsiCo executive, with the 2025 Alvaro L. Martins Heritage Award at The ELC Recognition Gala on October 2, 2025, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Maryland.
Named in honor of The ELC’s founding president, the Heritage Award recognizes individuals whose career and character have left a lasting legacy on the advancement of executive leadership. Throughout his career, Parker championed access, accountability, and development across corporate America—first as a senior executive at PepsiCo, then as President & CEO of The ELC, and later the National Association of Securities Professionals (NASP).
“Ron Parker believed in the power of people and built systems that supported their rise,” said The ELC President and CEO Michael C. Hyter. “His legacy is both personal and institutional. Through his work, he redefined the role of inclusive leadership as an imperative and as a service.”
At PepsiCo, Parker chaired the company’s Global Diversity and Inclusion Council, negotiated more than 30 labor contracts, and drove strategic talent development across its global workforce. Beyond business, Parker served on the boards of Texas Christian University, the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, and numerous nonprofits dedicated to mentorship, education, and leadership advancement.
His sudden passing in early 2025 marked the loss of a true visionary, whose legacy continues through the newly launched Ronald C. Parker Legacy Scholarship, honoring his life’s mission to build leadership pipelines from the classroom to the boardroom.
The 2025 ELC Scholars: A 30-Year Investment in the Future
Now in its 30th year, The ELC Scholarship Program is one of the organization’s most impactful initiatives. In 2025, The ELC awarded $2 million to 102 undergraduate and graduate students, 70 percent of whom attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Scholars represent a wide range of academic disciplines, with concentrations spanning business and management, technology and computing, health and natural sciences, engineering and innovation, and the arts and humanities. The introduction of the Ronald C. Parker Legacy Scholarship honors his commitment to shaping future leaders.
The ELC Gala Week: Honoring Legacy, Elevating Leadership
The ELC Recognition Gala is the capstone event of The ELC Gala Week, a dynamic, multi-program convening of senior executives, high-potential professionals, and future leaders. Held at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Maryland, Gala Week includes six concurrent programs, including the Honors Symposium, Mid-Level Managers Symposium, and strategic gatherings for CEOs and board members, for more than 3,000 attendees in total.
The Gala itself not only honors the highest level of leadership excellence but also generates critical support for The ELC’s scholarship and philanthropic efforts.
ABOUT THE ELC
The Executive Leadership Council is an independent non-profit founded in 1986 that opens channels of opportunity for the development of global executives to positively impact business and our communities. Learn more here.
