As the Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Secretary of HUD, Jackson managed the day-to-day operations of the $32 billion agency with a core mission of providing affordable housing and promoting community and economic development.

Secretary Jackson was most recently the President of American Electric Power-TEXAS, a $13 billion utility company, located in Austin, Texas.

From January 1989 until July 1996, Jackson was President and CEO of The Housing Authority of the City of Dallas, Texas, a $100 million operation.

Previous to The Housing Authority of the City of Dallas, Jackson was Director of the Department of Public and Assisted Housing in Washington, D.C., for the $137 million operation. Also, he served as Chairperson for the District of Columbia Redevelopment Land Agency Board.

Jackson holds a bachelor's degree in political science and a master's degree in education administration from Truman State University and a law degree from Washington University School of Law.

In 1977, Jackson became the Director of Public Safety for the City of St. Louis. Jackson also served as executive director for the St. Louis Housing Authority; a director of consultant services for the certified public accounting firm of Laventhol and Horwath-St. Louis; and special assistant to the chancellor and assistant professor at the University of Missouri.

Jackson previously served on the following Boards: JP Morgan Chase & Co.-Texas; Zale-Lipshy University Hospital; The Nature Conservancy of Texas; Voyager Expanded Learning, Inc.; The Hockaday School; Truman State University; Dallas Citizens Council; Dallas Theater Center; Episcopal School of Dallas; Boy Scouts of America, Dallas Metropolitan and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Jackson was presented the AFLAC - 2001 Lifetime Achievement Award, the National Boys & Girls Clubs of America - 1997 Chairman's Award and The Aspen Institute - 1995 Aspen Fellow.

Jackson has received Presidential and other Appointments: The National Commission on America's Urban Families (92-93); Member of the Regional Selection Panel for the White House Fellowship Programs (90-92) and a Member of The National Commission on Severely Distressed Public Housing (90-92). In addition, Jackson was a member of the National Welfare Simplification and Coordination Advisory Committee (92-93) and served as Chairman of the General Services Commission of the State of Texas (95-98).