Alphonso Roy Jackson

JACKSON, ALPHONSO ROY (1945 ~ ) Alphonso Roy Jackson, 13th Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), was born September 9, 1945, in Marshall, Texas, to Arthur and Henrietta Jackson. After moving to Dallas, Jackson, one of 12 children, graduated from high school and matriculated to Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri. After receiving a bachelor's degree in political science in 1968, and a master's degree in education administration in 1969, Jackson attended the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis and graduated with a doctor of jurisprudence degree in 1973.

After receiving his law degree, Jackson, in 1977, became the Director of Public Safety for the City of St. Louis. He also served as the executive director for the St. Louis Housing Authority, a director of consultant services for the certified public accounting firm of Laventhol and Horwarth, and special assistant chancellor and assistant professor at the University of Missouri. However, Jackson later left St. Louis, when he was named Director of the Department of Public and Assisted Housing in Washington, D. C. He also served as Chairperson for the District of Columbia Redevelopment Land Agency Board.

Upon returning to Texas in January 1989, Jackson served as President and CEO of The Housing Authority of the City of Dallas, which, under his leadership, was consistently ranked as one of the best-managed large-city housing agencies in the country during his tenure. Also at this time, Jackson, an expert on public housing and urban issues, had been asked to serve on a number of national and state commissions, most notably to the board of Texas Southern University; the General Services Commission of the State of Texas, now called the Texas Building and Procurement Commission; the National Commission on America's Urban Families; and the National Commission on Severely Distressed Public Housing. Jackson has served on the Truman State University Board of Governors, the American Red Cross of Metropolitan Dallas, and Institute of American Values - New York.

In July 1996, Jackson became the President of American Electric Power-TEXAS, a utility company located in Austin, but resigned in June 2001, to accept President George W. Bush's offer to serve as Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. As Deputy Secretary, Jackson managed the day-to-day operations of the $32 billion agency and instilled a new commitment to ethics and accountability with HUD's programs and among its workforce and grant partners.

On December 12, 2003, HUD Secretary, Mel Martinez, resigned his seat in the Bush administration, an action that promoted Jackson into serving as the acting secretary. On January 28, 2004, President Bush nominated Jackson for HUD's top job and he was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate on March 31, 2004.

Today, Jackson's 25 years of experience in both the public and private sectors, strong background in housing and community development, expertise in finance and management, and deep commitment to improving the lives of all Americans is helping him to meet the mission of HUD, by providing affordable housing and promoting economic development.

Secretary Jackson and his wife Marcia are the parents of two grown daughters, Annette and Lesley.

Information taken from Secretary Jackson's biography on the Department of Housing and Urban Development website, http://www.hud.gov/about/secretary/jacksonbio.cfm.