Safari Club International (SCI) named Rick Parsons as its new chief executive officer, succeeding Phil DeLone. Parsons joined SCI in 1985 and has held various positions in the organization since, including stints as the head of the Washington D.C. office and as interim executive director at the Tucson, AZ headquarters.
Previous CEO Phil DeLone resigned December 9 to become the CEO of the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitor Authority. Parsons is a lawyer by profession, with a degree in international law. He has worked in the conservation field since 1967, first with the U.S. government and then with SCI in various capacities.
In SCI, Parsons has served since 1985 as Government Affairs Counsel, as chief CITES advisor and as parliamentarian. He provided the primary support in the drafting and implementation of SCI’s long-range strategic plan. He has been counsel to the Ethics and Code of Conduct Committee and the Bylaws Committee. In 2008, Parsons resigned his position as head of the Washington D.C. Office to move to Florida for family reasons, although he remained on contract to SCI. He and his wife Barbara will be resettling in Tucson shortly.
“Rick has been my right hand in planning and managing the EC and board meetings and keeping us within the scope of our own bylaws and policies,” said SCI President Larry Higgins. “Rick has a broad knowledge of all aspects of SCI’s work. He is objective, is a straight shooter and plays it by the book. His willingness to take over as CEO has allowed us to have a seamless transition.”
In a memo to the staff, Parsons noted, “My emphasis will be on carrying out the game plan for SCI that is laid out in the strategic plan and the budget. Staff plays a vital role because you are the people who get it done. You make those documents come to life.”
Parsons’ work with SCI has put him in contact with outfitters, particularly in Alaska and Africa, and he is familiar with their issues and concerns. He is also knowledgeable on hunting and firearms issues, having worked with the National Rifle Association in Washington and in coalitions, including the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, National Shooting Sports Foundation, Boone and Crockett Club, Wild Sheep Foundation and others.
