Spring 2008 Issue - NIU College of Business - Northern Illinois ...

Special Message from the Parmenter FamilyIn His Family’s WordsDan was a skiing enthusiast and becamean advanced skier over the years, skiingover Christmas and New Year’s holidaysin Wisconsin and Michigan during middleand high school and then enjoyingthe black diamond runs in Coloradothe last four years at Beaver Creek,Breckenridge, Vail, Copper Mountain, andSteamboat.On a recent Saturday, Dan’s co-workersand managers at Pottery Barn in OakBrook exchanged stories and memorieswith Dan’s mom, dad, and sister during aday-long tribute to Dan with a luncheonfor all employees. Many of them saidDan was like a brother or a son to them,always pitching in to do anything theyneeded and going the extra mile. Theysaid it was a joy to work with Dan, andthat they always looked forward to whenhe returned to work a weekend shift orduring school break. The store, district,and regional managers acknowledgedDan’s many contributions to improvingstock room and inventory operations.When the shooting started on February14, Dan and the girl he was sitting withdropped to the floor between the rowsof seats for cover. Afterwards, while stillin intensive care in critical condition, shetold her parents that Dan had held herhand and had begun praying for thembefore he was shot.Daniel Parmenter was born on October 15,1987. An NIU finance major from Westchester,Illinois, Daniel was one of the five students wholost their lives in the NIU campus tragedy thatoccurred on February 14, 2008.Dan’s father noted that his son had akeen perception for comprehending howto go about doing things and handlingsituations in very practical ways, forwhich Dan would say with a smile, “That’sjust common sense.” Dan’s parents wereextremely proud of his initiative to applyhimself through hard work and dedicationto be the best at everything he did and todo it with honesty and integrity.Besides being social chairman for PiKappa Alpha, Dan ran for office on theNIU InterFraternity Council board duringelections last semester.Dan is survived by his parents, a sister,grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins,and nephews.NIU Business 2008 | 27