PORT ST. LUCIE PEOPLE
DAVID N. PARNELL
Age: 33
Lives in: Port St. Lucie
Family: Courtney DiPierro,
daughter Aliyah, and stepson
Corbin
Education: St. Lucie West
Centennial High School, Class of 2005; Indian River State
College, associate of science in digital media, certifications in
computer numerical control machinery and manufacturing
and production
Occupation: CNC machinist
Hobbies: basketball, working out
Who inspires me: “My cousin is a pilot who inspired me to
go with my gut and pursue my dream.”
Something most people don’t know about me: “I am passionate
about creating a path for my kids to be successful.”
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pany shut down soon after.
Another door slammed shut.
“It put me in a bad place,” he says. “I had my heart set on a
real opportunity in the field. It made me want to give up on it
altogether.”
About that time, Parnell and his girlfriend had a baby.
“My grandfather was a diesel mechanic and always
encouraged me to find a trade,” he says. “When Aliyah was
born, I saw that I needed job stability.”
Parnell enrolled in IRSC’s Fast Track to Manufacturing program.
Still picking up video and graphic design jobs when
he could, he also worked in the office of Children’s Medical
Services in Fort Pierce.
Once certified, Parnell went to work for Triumph Air Structure
in Stuart making wings for the Boeing 737 and fuselages
for the company’s 767 airplanes.
“We all talked together as we worked, but I also listened to
audiobooks and self-help speeches.”
One book that particularly influenced him was Rich Dad,
Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki.
“He grew up with a father who had a PhD, a smart guy but
capped by his job,” Parnell explains. “His friend’s father had
unlimited potential because he owned his own business. It
gave me the dream of making my own income one day, having
business work for me instead of me working for a business.”
Since childhood, Parnell has enjoyed mechanics.
“I’d fix my headphones by soldering wires when they were
loose,” he says. “I took my remote control cars apart to see if I
could put them back together.”
Now, he wanted to learn computer numerical control, the
automated control of machining tools and 3D printers. He
went to work for Paradigm Precision in Stuart, using software
to build turbine combustors for airplanes. In May, he
was laid off due to COVID-19.
Unemployed with no idea when he’d work again, it
seemed a risky time to invest in expensive equipment. Parnell
considered his long-term goals, however. Perhaps it was
the perfect time to take a step of faith.
Hoping to grow a business making custom designs, Parnell
ordered a CNC machine.
“It took a week to put together, then another month getting
comfortable with it,” he says.
After working with titanium and other hard materials,
there was a learning curve working with softer materials like
wood, acrylic, PVC, MDF and brushed aluminum. Each material
requires a different approach, drill bit and speed.
“It’s dangerous if you’re not paying attention,” Parnell says.
Today, Parnell is back at Triumph, after which he stops by
the gym before going home to work on projects in his garage.
“I started making gifts by request for my girlfriend’s sister
who sent more orders my way.”
Calling the business The Art Box Designs, he uses Instagram
and Facebook to get the word out. Recently, he tested
the waters at a big vendor event.
Parnell’s designs range from personalized coasters to complicated
signage with lighting.
“I take great pride in creating timeless artwork my clients
commissioned,” he says. “I enjoy seeing the reaction on their
faces.”
Parnell dreams of one day opening a shop and hiring
others, but for now, the kids can hang out with him in the
garage. He is neither a rich father nor a poor one, but he tries
to be a good one. E
In making this Guinness sign, Parnell’s knowledge of computers and machinery
come together using computer numerical control equipment.
Parnell uses computerized equipment to create items for his new business,
The Art Box Designs, which continues to grow.