George W. Jackson, Jr.

Board Member, Detroit RiverFront Conservancy

President & CEO
Detroit Economic Growth Corporation

George W. Jackson, Jr. became interim President & CEO of the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) in February, 2002, and was elected to the position on a permanent basis in April 2002. The DEGC is a private, nonprofit corporation devoted exclusively to supporting Detroit's economic development projects and initiatives by providing technical, financial and development assistance to the City and the business community. The DEGC also serves as the professional and administrative staff for the Downtown Development Authority (DDA), the Economic Development Corporation of the City of Detroit (EDC), Tax Increment Finance Authority, and Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (DBRA). The DEGC is the lead organization for implementation of permanent revitalization improvements (the Lower Woodward Improvement Program) for Super Bowl XL, held in Detroit on February 5, 2006.

In 2006 Mr. Jackson assumed the responsibilities of Chief Development Officer for the City of Detroit. This position includes the responsibility of overall coordination of City economic development activity, as well as supervision of the City Planning and Development, and Environmental Affairs Departments.

Mr. Jackson is also the past Chairman and serves as a Board member of the Next Energy Corporation, a corporation committed to making Michigan a world leader in alternative energy by advancing the use of alternative energy through groundbreaking research, design, manufacturing, education, commercialization and the marketing of alternative technologies.

Prior to his current position, Mr. Jackson was Director of Customer Marketing for DTE Energy, where he worked for 27 years. Areas reporting to the Director of Customer Marketing include Economic Development, Strategic Marketing Processes, Product Development, Program Management, Customer Research and Information and Ethnic Marketing. Under Mr. Jackson's leadership the DTE Energy Economic Development Department gained national recognition and was a recipient of the Site Selection Magazine Utility Economic Development Award. Mr. Jackson has also played an influential role in City of Detroit, Southeastern Michigan and State of Michigan economic development programs, projects, initiatives and organizations.

Additional experience includes Personnel and Human Resources with the United States Navy, Adjunct faculty at Lawrence Technological University School of Management, and professional level positions at Detroit Edison in the Human Resources, Organizational Planning and Development and Power Generation organizations.

George W. Jackson, Jr. is a native Detroiter, and a graduate of Detroit Cooley High School, Oakland University (B.S. Human Resource Development) and Central Michigan University (M.A. Management - Business Management).

Current and past organizational affiliations include:

Executive Board of Directors - Michigan Economic Development Corporation
Board of Directors - NextEnergy Corporation, Michigan Strategic Fund, State of Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority, Downtown Detroit Partnership, American Arab Chamber of Commerce Michigan
Chairman of the Board of Directors - Eastern Market Corporation
Board of Trustees - Oakwood Healthcare System
Executive Board - Greater Wayne County Economic Development Corporation
Detroit Regional Chamber Economic Development Partnership
Chairman of the Board of Governors - Renaissance Club
CoreNet Global, Incorporated
American Economic Development Association
Michigan Economic Development Association
National Council for Urban Economic Development
Past Member Automation Alley Executive Board
Past Chairman - Michigan Utility Economic Development Consortium
Past Vice Chairman and Board of Directors - Detroit Empowerment Zone

Select Awards and Recognition
Crain's 2006 Newsmaker of the Year
Michigan Economic Development Association, 2006 Member of the Year
Oakland University Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award 2006
Automation Alley 2007 CEO of the Year
Association of Blacks in Energy, 2003 Lewis Latimer Award