Dave Parro

“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing about.”

Benjamin Franklin

As Co-CEO, Dave oversees Walker Sands’ corporate teams, including Growth, Finance, HR and Operations & IT, focusing on improving the firm’s service delivery through operational excellence. He also leads strategic new business opportunities, acts as a senior consultant to some of the agency’s largest clients and leads board and investor communications.

Since joining the firm in 2012, Dave has been instrumental in helping Walker Sands scale to manage its rapid growth. He has led multiple initiatives to improve agency operations, including the development of its integrated marketing offerings, establishment of its Client Services department, and implementation of new processes and technology.

He also leads the company’s business planning initiatives around pricing, product development, geographic strategy and other agency focus areas. 

A storyteller at heart, Dave spent nearly a decade as a newspaper reporter and editor before joining Walker Sands. A Chicago native, he holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Illinois and an MBA from Aurora University.

Specialties

• Growth strategy
• Senior team leadership
• Client management
• Operational excellence

Skills

• Integrated marketing strategy
• Writing
• Storytelling
• Data analysis

Interests

• Personal finance
• Home renovation
• Piano
• Gardening