DARNELL D. JACKSON
Senior Vice President Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Managing Partner of the Jackson Group
ADVISING IN A
CULTURE Of WEALTH
By Donald James
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The true measure of a man is not determined during times of comfort and convenience, but
rather during times of conflict and controversy.” For Darnell D. Jackson, senior vice president for Morgan Stanley Smith Barney and managing partner of The Jackson Group (TJG), King’s iconic words still resonates with truth.
While the past decade in financial services has been punctuated by unprecedented volatility and uncertainty, Jackson’s steady leadership of The Jackson Group has been remarkable. He explains that The Jackson Group, which began in 1993, specializes in marketing tax-exempt municipal bonds and corporate finance debt, public retirement plans, construction of customized defined benefit plans, and retirement plan asset management.
The majority of The Jackson Group’s clients are corporate executives, entertainers and some of the nation’s most successful entrepreneurs. TJG also renders financial advice to non-profits, foundations, and endowment and estate entities. “TJG is a steadfast, trusted,andplanning-basedteamofprofessionals,” says Jackson. “We manage to attract a client base that reflects the essence of who we are…and as professionals, we are driven by delivering service and financialsolutioninthetoughestofeconomictime.”
Since its inception, The Jackson Group has been responsible for more than $9.5 billion of public and numerous corporate finance projects in southeast Michigan, inclusive of the Ford Field (Home of the NFL Detroit Lions) and the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne Country Airport (DTW). Jackson has been the advisor of record to some of the nation’s largest pension and retirement plans.
Throughout his professional career, Jackson has received numerous awards; including the 2012 Five Star Wealth Manager Award, the National Association of Securities Professionals Measure of Excellence Award and the 2012 T.LA.B. Diversity Award. He also serves on the Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Diversity Council, and is a member of the Consulting Group’s Advisory Development Initiative and Business Owners Advisory Council.
A native of Detroit, Jackson began his career in financial services at Manufacturer’s National Bank, which later became Comerica Bank. After working as a banker for five years, his career focus shifted to financial services and he joined Merrill Lynch, where he spent more than 25 years prior to joining Morgan Stanley Smith Barney in March, 2009.
To prepare for his amazing career, Jackson attended the University of Michigan where he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics. He did post graduate studies at the University of Detroit. In addition, he completed the Wharton School of Business Executive Training Program.
In addition to having a strong educational foundation and a prosperous career, Jackson is happily married. He and his wife, Collette, have been married for 32 years and have two daughters: Kristian, a graduate of Florida A&M University and Kelly, who currently attends FAMU.
Additionally, Jackson cherishes every opportunity to help empower children. “Many people say that the children are our future…if so, we should invest in them,” says Jackson. “We should educate them and create in them a moral fiber that is so strong that they can’t go wrong. The Financial Literacy Program at the Plymouth Educational Center in partnership with the African American Museum aims to do just that. It is on this foundation that The Jackson Group is motivated.”
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