Bob Jones University Board Names New Chairman

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Greenville, S.C. (Sept. 19, 2013) – At its Sept. 19 meeting, the Bob Jones University Board of Trustees unanimously confirmed its executive committee’s election of Larry Jackson of Greenville as chairman effective immediately. Jackson replaces Dr. Bob Jones III who last May announced his intention to step down as chairman and become a member of BJU’s Associate Board of Trustees. He continues as university chancellor.

Dr. Bob Jones III served as chairman of the BJU Board of Trustees for over 15 years. “Larry’s Christ loving heart and understanding of the university’s mission gives me the utmost confidence that he is called of God to this role,” says Dr. Bob Jones III.

Chairman of Jackson Marketing Group and Jackson Motorsports Group with offices in Greenville and Charlotte, Jackson has been a member of the BJU Board of Trustees since 1982 and has served on the Board’s seven-person executive committee nearly 10 years.

A charter member of the Greenville Area Development Corporation, Jackson has also served on the Greenville Chamber of Commerce’s Headquarters Recruiting Committee and the board of the Greenville Technical College Foundation. He presently serves on the boards of The Wilds Christian Camp and Conference Center in North Carolina and Gospel Fellowship Association in Greenville. In 2012, the Community Foundation honored Jackson Marketing Group with its Community Spirit Giving Award. Jackson Marketing associates are involved regularly with a number of community nonprofit organizations such as A Child’s Haven, Hands on Greenville, the CEO Build Program for underprivileged families without homes and the BMW Charity Pro-AM Golf Tournament.

“I am honored and humbled to have been selected by the Board to be their new chairman,” says Jackson. “BJU is a unique ministry led by highly credentialed administrators, faculty and staff.  With counsel from the Board,  I look forward to working closely with the administration both to assist the University strategically to achieve its mission of helping students develop Christlike character and servant leadership and to ensure the University stays true to its founder’s intentions.”

Larry Jackson has been associated with BJU since he was a few months old and his parents moved from Durham, N.C., to Cleveland, Tenn., to become employees of Bob Jones College. He was a year old when his family relocated with the College to Greenville and the College became Bob Jones University. His father, G.G. Jackson, worked at the University’s post office for 46 years, nearly all as postmaster. His step-mother, Iris Jackson, served on the executive office staff for 51 years.

Jackson earned a BS in Cinema from BJU in 1968 and a MA in Cinema and Video Production in 1971. In 2000, the BJU Alumni Association honored him as Alumnus of the Year.

After serving in the U.S. Army where he was awarded the Army Commendation Medal, Jackson began over a four-decade career in the marketing communication industry when he joined Ford Motor Company’s Public Affairs Department at its Dearborn, Mich., headquarters. He later joined Wilding Division of Bell & Howell, serving as Senior Vice President/Ford Account. In 1980, with fellow BJU grad, Sam Dawson, he formed Jackson-Dawson Marketing Communications in Detroit, serving the major automotive companies. In 1985, he relocated to Greenville and opened a second Jackson-Dawson office, which today is Jackson Marketing Group. JMG’s larger clients include companies such as Michelin, BFGoodrich, BMW, Milliken, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. and Greenville Health System.

Jackson is married to the former Betty Forsythe. They have three children and three grandchildren. Longtime members of Heritage Bible Church in Greenville where Larry served in leadership and teaching positions, the Jacksons are joining University Baptist Church in Clemson as they relocate to that area.

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