▁with ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁employees ▁in ▁ 1 4 ▁dis aster ▁and ▁conflict ▁impact ed ▁nations ▁around ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁Early ▁years ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 7 , ▁Par mer ▁graduated ▁from ▁Poly techn ic ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁Fort ▁W orth . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁he ▁was ▁induct ed ▁into ▁" W all ▁of ▁Fame " ▁by ▁the ▁Fort ▁W orth ▁Independent ▁School ▁District , ▁the ▁gover ning ▁board ▁of ▁Fort ▁W orth ▁public ▁schools . ▁Par mer ▁holds ▁a ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Arts ▁degree ▁from ▁Y ale ▁University ▁in ▁New ▁H aven , ▁Connecticut ▁and ▁a ▁master ' s ▁degree ▁in ▁Political ▁Science ▁from ▁University ▁of ▁Texas ▁at ▁Ar ling ton ▁in ▁Ar ling ton , ▁Texas . ▁He ▁head ed ▁the ▁Par mer ▁Mark eting ▁Company , ▁Inc ., ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 8 . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁At ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁twenty - three , ▁Par mer ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁young est ▁legisl ator ▁in ▁the ▁Texas ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁for ▁a ▁single ▁term ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 6 5 . ▁There after , ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Fort ▁W orth ▁City ▁Council ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁and ▁became ▁mayor ▁of ▁Fort ▁W orth ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁a ▁post ▁he ▁held ▁for ▁two ▁years ▁until ▁his ▁defeat ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁in ▁a ▁he ated ▁contest ▁with ▁Wood ie ▁Wood