Remembering Robert Parra
Friday, July 31, 2020 at 6:00PM 
ROBERT JOSEPH PARRA, JR.
1940 - 2020
Bob passed away at home in Fernandina Beach, Florida, on Saturday, July 11, 2020. He was born in Calexico, California, and attended Calexico Union High School. After graduating from the United States Air Force Academy with a degree in Engineering Sciences, he received his master's degree in International Economics from Georgetown University.
Following his education, he served in the United States Air Force and was honorably discharged with the rank of Captain. In pursuit of his interest in finance, he joined Citibank/Citigroup with assignments abroad. He subsequently became Vice President and General Manager, Citicorp, New York and San Francisco. He was appointed head of the Office of Investment, Bureau for Private Enterprise at USAID, before accepting a position at PwC for nearly 20 years. Throughout his 50-plus-year career as an investment banker and consultant, he worked for multiple clients in international development organizations in 34 countries on six continents. More recently, he led public-private partnerships in infrastructure financing and transaction advisories for the power generation sector and renewable energy under Power Africa, a USAID initiative.
One of his greatest passions was mentoring the younger generation of consultants. In Bangladesh, he started two courses on Project Finance and Financial Modeling. Both courses are still taught today and are responsible for grooming the very first generation of project finance professionals in Bangladesh.
He also co-authored Financing Large Projects with M. Fouzul Kabir Khan, which was recommended or required literature in universities across the country, including Harvard University and Stanford University. He was considered an excellent writer, and the "Rolls Royce" of his profession by his counterparts.
Bob was a passionate consultant and world traveler, adventurous foodie, and beautiful dancer. He was endlessly curious and had a zest for life. He loved to learn, and share his knowledge.
He will be remembered for his strength, courage, inner peace, and eternal optimism which he exhibited throughout his life, but particularly in his final months.
Bob is survived by his wife, Martha Elortegui Parra; his three daughters, Christina Parra Baheri, Sophia Parra Rose (Bradley), and Alessondra Parra; his four stepsons, Kurt, Chris (Catherine), Luke (Victoria), and Peter Gibson; two grandchildren, Dillon and Sabrina Baheri; and his brother, William Parra (Margaret) and his family.
A funeral service will be scheduled for September. Please email sophiaparrarose@gmail.com if you’d like to be notified when a date and time is arranged.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in his name can be made to Community: Hospice and Palliative Care, the non-profit hospice center that cared for him with so much love in his final days: https://www.communityhospice.com/give/
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