Name: Ken Jackson
Family: Wife: Jody, Children: Grant (27) and Ginny (24)
Hometown: Tucker, GA (born Nashville, TN)
Current Town: Chattanooga, TN
What Years at UGA: 1975-79 undergrad, 1979-80 graduate school
School/Degree: BBA Accounting, MACC (Tax)
Profession: Chief Financial Officer, Shaw Industries Group, Inc.
What life lessons did you learn while at UGA?
First and foremost, I would have to say that hard work pays off … you really do get out of something what you are willing to put into it.
What professor did you most admire (and why)?
I was blessed to have many great professors while at UGA but if I had to pick one it would be Earl Davis. There is no question that he made us all work harder than we ever imagined but it really prepared me for my first career like no other. The other thing I will always remember him for is his relentless advocacy of the tax students … he would not rest until every last one of us had a job exiting UGA … how awesome is that?!
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
That I have two wonderful children that are working their own way in life … that I was fortunate enough to be able to get them through college and that today neither of them are saddled with student loans and that I believe they are both appreciative of that and I hope one day they will do that for their own children when their time comes.
Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Of all the people I have read about, I guess I would have to say Ronald Reagan. He was able to get things done when things were just as divided as they seem now. He was a great communicator, he was capable of building consensus and in the end he accomplished so much.
Who are your heroes in real life?
My parents because they did for me and my brother what I was able to do for my children which is to say they put me in a situation where I had every chance to succeed. Beyond that I would say Joshua Chamberlain and Abraham Lincoln … and I’ve mentioned Ronald Reagan.
Quote to live by:
The harder you work, the luckier you get!
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Well, that’s a complicated question but there is nothing quite like a crisp Saturday night in Sanford Stadium listening to the Red Coat Band play their full repertoire following a big win surrounded by best friends and family that feel the exact same way I do at that very moment.
What is your most marked characteristic?
I guess it would be that whatever I am doing, I want to be totally engaged, help others and find a way to have fun in every aspect of my life.
What do you most value in your friends?
I value their candor. I value their friendship and I love and I believe they would always be there for me just as I know I would always be there for them.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I guess I would say I would like to start every day with a forgiving spirit. Abraham Lincoln talked about this and how much negative energy we create when in fact it’s much easier to forgive, move on and be positive … I guess we all could work on this at times and I know I could.
Who are your favorite writers (and why)?
I love to read books by Andy Andrews. He’s probably not all that well known but I believe every book I’ve ever read that he has written helped make me a better person … what a gift I have received from that.
Fave social media and who to follow (and why)?
I like to follow all the Nantucket Island instagram postings as that has been a place where I have spent some of my best days surrounded by family and friends that I love.
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