Chicago-born author, startup founder, and former IBM, Microsoft, and Amazon leader Chris J. Parker is returning to his roots with a special book signing event celebrating the release of his memoir, Building Bridges. The event will take place at the Woodlawn Tap—still affectionately known as Jimmy’s—a South Side institution woven deeply into Parker’s personal history.
Raised mixed-race on Chicago’s South Side, Parker grew up navigating neighborhoods, classrooms, and institutions that didn’t always know where to place him. Building Bridges traces that journey—from his early years in Woodlawn and Hyde Park to leadership roles in global technology companies—while remaining grounded in the people and places that shaped him.
The Woodlawn Tap holds special meaning for Parker. As a high school student, he could stop in for lunch but was too young to sit at the bar. Years later, it became the place friends gathered whenever they came back home. Hosting a book event there now feels less like a venue choice and more like a homecoming.
More than a memoir of professional success, Building Bridges is a reflection on identity, resilience, and the quiet ways communities influence who we become. Chicago is not just the backdrop of the story—it is its backbone.
The book signing will include informal remarks, conversation, and the opportunity to meet the author. Copies of Building Bridges will be available on site.
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