Way Back When

... When you were in high school, did you think you might, when you are older and wiser ... return someday?

Kwame did... to become part of their "Wall of Fame".

They asked him a lot of questions, the result is a document full of little nuggets you may enjoy...

CONGRATULATIONS on being selected for induction into the East Mecklenburg “Wall of Fame”!!  In order to prepare for this occasion, we need your help. 

We would like to gather information about you.  Please fill out this questionnaire to the best of your ability.

1.  What year did you graduate? 

I graduated in 1992.

 2.  List any extracurricular activities you were involved in during high school.

Student Congress, NAACP, JV Football, Debate Club, Prom Attendant, Renaissance, Class Board, Class Officer, President of Youth Involvement Council – Charlotte NCCJ, Camp Anytown Camp attendee and Advisor, Worked at McDonald’s at 5600 E. Independence throughout HS eventually promoted to Crew Trainer, Inroads Charlotte, Leaders of Tomorrow, Duke Power Partners Program,

 3.  List any honors or awards you received during high school. 

Senior Superlative – voted Best Sense of Humor by entire School graduating class of 474, Published OP/Ed piece in Charlotte Observer on “Happy Meal toy give away rejection of Black Barbie @ McDonald’s expose piece” while I was an employee and in HS.

 What is your favorite high school memory?

I remember my Advanced Chemistry teacher Larry McAfee pulling my best friend John Webb and me aside at the end of our graduation ceremony, putting his arm around us, and telling us that we had unlimited potential and that we could be anything we wanted.

 That was one of the most sincere and encouraging moments of my entire HS career. Because Mr. MacAfee was sincere, respected, and really believed in us both.

 I remember almost oversleeping for the graduation ceremony because I had the time wrong by an hour and they had already pulled my diploma from the announcement list in order to avoid calling the names of folks who weren’t present at the preliminary roll call. They had to retrieve my diploma and reinsert it in the list as I ran to join my class.

 I remember winning the “Best Sense of Humor” award my senior year and thinking…wow! They really do think I’m funny!! After all, the whole class had to vote on the thing via Scantron ballots, it was legit!

 I remember finally getting my 200 Club t-shirt from Coach Dulan after reaching the 200lbs weight mark in weight training…I was skinny, but I felt swole!

 I remember the pep rallies and big games surrounding homecoming in football and basketball.

 I remember great teachers like Coach Coltrane in AP History, Jackie Fishman in AP English, Ms. Phillips in French 2-5, Coach Larry McAfee in Adv. Chemistry. All these teachers taught me to question, to value intellectual curiosity, to dream, to push, and to believe in myself!

 I remember always being able to rely on my McClintock crew that I had spent 3 years with before we came to East Meck. Folks like East Meck SBP, Phiderika Foust, Alex Bragg, etc.

 I remember not being cool or confident enough to try and talk to any of the attractive letter girls or cheerleaders!

 I remember when I first started driving my 1987 white Nissan Sentra to school! So Fresh and So Clean…I thought I was the man!

 I remember wanting an East Meck Letter jacket so badly!

 I remember the food sucked, but I would always drink lot’s of chocolate milks at lunch. 

  5.  What college did you attend and what was your major?

 The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – BS in Business Administration 1996

5. Please briefly describe the career path that you have taken since high school. 

I have been on a pretty standard career path checking boxes up until the last year. I went to UNC after East Meck, I did 4 summers interning as the first Procter & Gamble Inroads intern in Charlotte while in college and then accepted a full-time offer to work in their Sales and Marketing group upon graduating from UNC with a Business Administration degree in 1996.

 After working for Procter for 1 year I applied to Law Schools and was eventually accepted to Duke Universities JD/MBA program. I chose to shoot for the stars and was also accepted to Harvard Business School where I went on to complete my MBA in 2000.

 I worked on several dot-com startups during my days at Harvard and then accepted a job with Goldman Sachs on Wall St. upon graduation. I started in Goldman Sachs’ dot-com group and then moved on to their Private Wealth Management group where I built business managing wealthy client portfolios for 3+ years.

 I arrived at Wall St. just as the dot-com bubble burst in 2000, and went on to experience the 3 worst years in the equity market since the great depression. Given this disappointing economic period, I began to look at other options and along came the opportunity to take a chance to build my own brand and showcase my professional skills on a nationally televised program called the Apprentice.

 I viewed this opportunity as a unique way to utilize celebrity as a form of business capital and an unprecedented platform to launch my entrepreneurial endeavors.

 After the show, I turned down hundreds of job offers to start my own company, Legacy Holdings LLC with 2 long time professional colleagues and fraternity brothers from UNC. www.legacyholdingsllc.com 

 Legacy Holdings is specifically designed to leave a lasting legacy of entrepreneurship that we can all be proud of as 3 young men who took the opportunity to leverage their education and experience to bet on themselves.

 Legacy Holdings LLC is primarily a real estate development firm and we have already begun our first project, a $3.8 Billion mixed use, live, work, play community called “Rosewood” in Prince George’s County MD, about 10 miles from the White House.

 We also are in the beginning stages of launching a lodging focused real estate Private Equity fund.

 Moreover, I am a national/international lecturer, speaking out on topics such as entrepreneurship, leadership, risk taking, corporate success, education, etc. I have been on the professional lecture circuit for about a year and a half and have completed close to 100 engagements at Universities, Fortune 500 Companies, and Civic institutions across the country and around the world.

6. Wall of Fame Inductees must be outstanding members of their own community and must have a significant impact in their particular occupational field.  In your own words, how do you feel you meet these qualifications?

 I have always been an active member of my community, from Charlotte, to UNC, to Harvard, and now in NYC.

 I am involved with TEAK fellowship, The Posse Foundation, NY Public Schools, FBLA, Operation Smile, Inroads, DNC, etc. to push forward the value of education, mentoring, and leveling the playing field to ensure opportunity for all.

 List any community/extracurricular activities that you are involved in now.

www.kwamejackson.com for more 

Mentor for disadvantaged youth in TEAK Fellowship, Mentor for college prep program in Posse Foundation, Principal For a Day at Harlem PS 129 in NYC, Operation Smile volunteer, National Inroads spokesperson/lecturer, DNC Boston Convention speaker to NC Delegates, Harlem Dowling (oldest African-American orphanage in America) fundraiser and awardee, Freddie Mac Hoops for the Homeless volunteer, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools Speaker, etc., LIFE Foundation Life Insurance Awareness Month National Spokesperson Sept. 2004, United Negro College Fund JP Morgan Keynote Speaker (largest single gift to UNCF from JP Morgan), Boys & Girls Club Keynote Speaker Indianapolis IN and Milwaukee WS.

 8. List any honors or awards that you received after graduating from high school.\ 

Kenan-Flagler Business School Leadership Excellence Award,

UNC Dean’s List,

President of UNC Black Business Student Alliance,

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. Middle Eastern Province Business Excellence Award,

Harvard Business School John F. Lebor Entrepreneur Fellowship recipient, NASD Series 7, 66, 3 Holder,

Key to the city from Indianapolis IN, Trenton NJ, and Columbia SC.

Kwame Jackson Day proclamation by Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory and Charlotte City Council on 1/21/05.

Kentucky Colonel award given by Governor of Kentucky Ernie Fletcher, Winston Salem State University Distinguished leadership award,

Harlem Dowling Outstanding Achievement Award,

US Department of Commerce Small Business Administration and the Minority Business Development Agency Entrepreneurship Award, National Black MBA Outstanding Service and Commitment Award,

Inroads Central New Jersey Frank C. Carr Community Service Award,

Inroads National Alumni Keynote Speaker Award for the Northeast Chapter, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. Queens Alumni Salute to Achievers Award, Howard University School of Business - Business Achievement Award, AHBAI “The Proud Lady” Keynote Speaker Award,

People Magazine 50 Most Beautiful People 2004,

People Magazine 50 Hottest Bachelors 2004,

Florida Marlins First Pitch Pitcher

10. List a quote that you live by that has helped you along the way and could be beneficial for someone else.  (Example: Life is a taxi, and you are the driver).

Get busy living or get busy dying – Shawshank Redemption

We have our entire lives to be ordinary and only a few moments to be extraordinary – Me!

11. List any other information you would like us to know. 

I’m so proud of my time at East Mecklenburg and I’m most humbled by this award! I always wanted to be in that glass case in front of the school, but I knew my jump shot wasn’t going to get me there :>

 For more information on me please direct students, award showcase, or published materials to www.kwamejackson.com  which is constantly updated.

Thank you!