Roland Parrish

Roland G. Parrish built a restaurant business after first working in the energy industry. The Black entrepreneur opened his first McDonald's in Dallas's Pleasant Grove neighborhood on Juneteenth in 1989. His later public work includes educational giving, student mentoring and a documentary about the history of his Indiana hometown.

Parrish grew up in Hammond and attended Purdue University, where he competed in track and field and studied business. He earned a bachelor's degree in industrial management in 1975 and a master's degree in management in 1976. Cornell Bell, who led the Business Opportunity Program, became an important mentor, and Parrish later credited the program's support with helping shape his career.

After Purdue, he spent thirteen years at Exxon. Getting into franchising took persistence: his first application was rejected, so he spent two years in unpaid training while keeping his corporate job, about twenty-five hours a week by a 2017 Purdue profile's count.

He went on to lead Parrish Restaurants across the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Education became one focus of his giving. In 2010, Purdue announced his $2 million contribution toward a $4.2 million renovation of its management and economics library, dedicated in his name in April 2012.

The association grew. In October 2026, Purdue announced a $42 million commitment toward a new business-school building bearing his name, the Roland G. Parrish Hall of Business, scheduled to open in fall 2027.

At UNT Dallas's May 2026 commencement, Parrish announced a $50,000 contribution to establish an endowed scholarship through his foundation, aimed at first-generation students and historically underserved communities. The university also awarded him an honorary degree.

His interest in learning reaches beyond campuses. In a 2024 interview, he discussed writing and directing *This Wall Must Come Down*, a documentary exploring Black history in Hammond through the story of educator Annie Burns Hicks.