The first-ever assistant secretary for civil rights is undaunted about the tangle of civil rights complaints he inherited when confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 1. Vernon Parker acquired the attributes that make him uniquely qualified for this job from a six-year stint as interim pastor at Calvary Church of the Valley in Paradise Valley, Ariz., as well as 12 years in government service: four of them as general counsel then director of policy for the Office of Personnel Management. From this experience he learned patience, the depths of compassion, and to listen while leading.

“We want USDA to be looked at as a model of change,” Parker said of his mission. “I will try to implement a vision that is shared by the Secretary and the President of making sure that those who we serve are treated with dignity and respect and those who we serve are the 100,000-plus USDA employees and all the people who take part in our programs.”

Parker, a native of Houston who grew up in southern California, said his days as a pastor put his new job in perspective. “When you are dealing with human nature, with hurt, with pain, with death, with family tragedies--it is heartrending--sitting at someone’s bedside at the hospital when they die, comforting the spouse who is surviving, and showing true compassion for their feelings at the same time. Pastor was the most difficult job I’ve ever had, but it was the most rewarding job too.”

The 2002 Farm Bill created the position Parker now holds. He said early on some questioned his lack of a background in agriculture. “But that has served to my advantage,” he said, “because I have surrounded myself with wonderful staff who know what can and cannot work and what has and has not been tried. It gives me the opportunity to say, ‘Why can’t we do these things?’”

Parker and his staff are in the midst of implementing a 90-day plan of rapid-fire changes aimed at moving the logjam of civil rights cases. “It pains me to know we have cases that have been around for two or three years. If you are in a hostile environment and your file is in the middle of a stack not being examined, shame on us. If after one year, we still have 2,036 cases in inventory, then I am not doing my job.”

How will the Office of Civil Rights handle complaints of discrimination? “We serve two clients who don’t always see eye to eye: employees and customers. If there has been discrimination then there has to be accountability. But due process is also part of our system because we cannot just accuse someone without giving them a chance to be heard.”

Parker, who is an attorney, asks “Put yourself in that situation. Did you discriminate or is there a perception that you discriminated or were you just carrying out the policies of the agency? The American adage, that everyone should have their day in court, still prevails.”

Although just two months have passed since his confirmation, Parker is already getting more mail than Smokey Bear, according to the agency mailman who keeps tab on these statistics. Still, Parker said, “At the end of the day, I have no doubt that we will succeed, but if there are obstacles, no one will ever be able to say we didn’t try--and didn’t try with all our heart.”

Last Book Read: Parker is reading these three at once: “Lincoln’s Greatest Speech: The Second Inaugural,” by Ronald C. White, Jr.; “Disgrace,” by J.M. Coetzee; “What’s So Amazing About Grace?” by Philip Yancey

Hobbies: Cooking, just about all sports, wine tasting

Favorite Food: Anything prepared by Chef Vincent Guerithault, recently named the 23^rd best chef in the world, who resides in Phoenix, Ariz.

Last Movie Seen: “Raising Victor Vargas”

Favorite TV Show: “Frasier”

Favorite Weekend Breakfast: Fresh berries with cream, Frittata with potatoes, prosciutto ham, goat’s cheese, aregula and fresh, squeezed orange juice

Priorities in the Months Ahead: “Reduce our inventory of cases and institutionalize policy changes that will prevent the growth of another backlog. Our greatest challenge ahead is to restore the confidence that may be lost by those we serve, including farmers and employees and all those affected and touched by USDA programs. And I want to get the positive word out about some of the good things happening at USDA.”

--Patricia Klintberg