Thomas Andrew Parker (born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk; June 26, 1909 – January 21, 1997), commonly known as Colonel Parker, was a musical entrepreneur, best known for being Elvis Presley's manager. Parker was born in the Netherlands and entered the United States illegally when he was 20 years old. He adopted a new name and claimed to have been born in the U.S. With a background working in carnivals, Parker moved into music promotion in 1938, working with one of the first popular crooners, Gene Austin, and then country music singers Eddy Arnold, Hank Snow, and Tommy Sands. He also assisted Jimmie Davis's campaign to become governor of Louisiana; as a reward, Davis gave him the honorary rank of "colonel" in the Louisiana State Guard.

Source: Wikipedia