Jackie King - A Financial Trailblazer

By Ellen Richardson

Photos by Still Shots Photography

An Award Winning Trailblazer Who Pioneered Her Financial Territory For Edward Jones.

Jackie King is a Regional Leader for Edward Jones and the first woman of color ever announced to this distinguished position at her firm. In her role, she is the liaison between the home office in St. Louis, MO, and 70+ branch teams in three counties. In 2021, Jackie reached a new pinnacle in her career at Edward Jones and became a principal partner in the firm. Her office is located in the Koury Corporate Building in Greensboro, NC.

Jackie’s drive for success stems from her humble upbringing. She was born to a single mother and lived with her mom, grandparents, and six of her mother’s siblings in a two bedroom home until she was seven years old. “Money problems were common throughout my childhood”, says King. In fact, even after her mother married, they would still only grocery shop twice a month on payday. “We never had money any other time.” Eating a fast food meal during this time was considered splurging. Looking back, she doesn’t know if it was due to a lack of sufficient income, budgeting, or a combination of the two. Those experiences humbled Jackie and serve as a constant reminder of where she came from and keep her grounded and empathetic to those less fortunate.

Growing up, and experiencing family and friend’s struggle to make ends meet made a lifelong impact on Jackie. Those experiences also helped her realize her purpose in life. She decided that she wanted to be the one to break the mold of generational financial illiteracy in people’s lives. “I wanted to be and still am a sound voice of reasoning based on principles and discipline to help guide individuals towards a life of financial freedom, ensuring they meet their financial goals,” she shares.

Jackie was first introduced to the financial services industry while living in Germany during her husband’s military tour of duty. She worked in an insurance office, and upon her return to the United States, divine intervention would put her in the sight of a mentor who would change the course of her life. John Johnson was the owner of a loan company and employed Jackie to work as a part time teller. Over her 17-plus-year tenure, she worked her way up to the highest paying position in the company, acquiring the role of Corporate Operations Manager, which allowed her to oversee the operations of seventy-four branches in five states. Not only did John Johnson mentor her and open doors for her and her family, but he paid for her to complete the last two years of college, allowing her to earn her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology during work hours.

While she credits the experience and relationship with John Johnson for exposing her to incredible opportunities, she also acknowledges another inspiring individual, her late pastor, Bishop Otis Lockett, Sr. “He always encouraged us to aspire to excellence without excuse,” she says. Jackie confesses that she never forgot that and is still inspired by those words to this day. “His teachings always encouraged me to step out on faith towards the purpose for which God called me to. That same faith would ultimately lead me to the entrepreneurial role at Edward Jones.”

“I wanted to be and still am a sound voice of reasoning based on principles and discipline to help guide individuals towards a life of financial freedom, ensuring they meet their financial goals.”

Jackie is a highly sought-after Financial Advisor and is one of only a few diverse women to lead one of the country’s largest Fortune 500 companies. She possesses an innate ability to put her clients at ease. She does this while listening to their unique needs and customizing a plan that is tailored to meet their goals. Jackie’s diverse clientele keeps her relevant and tuned in to the ever-changing world that impacts their financial goals.

Over the last 15 years, Edward Jones has recognized Jackie’s positive winning attitude. Her colleagues cited her with the Spirit of Caring Award, and her branch team is often ranked in the top 1% of the firm for Client Service Excellence. Within the firm, Jackie holds key positions that afford her the opportunity to serve colleagues, clients, and the community. She has served on the Edward Jones Women’s Advisory Council, the African American Advisory Board, as well as Talent Acquisition Spokesperson for the east coast, and currently holds the role of Regional Leader. “I am grateful for the opportunities the firm has afforded me and for being able to hold such positions of influence. These positions allow me to serve clients in a meaningful way and provide a platform for me to have a greater impact on the broader community,” she says.

Jackie is also nationally recognized for her experience. She was interviewed on the Business Report segment of TV One’s Black Enterprise and later was a contributor for the magazine. Other national publications include Investment News and Diversity Women. Additionally, she is often found conducting various workshops throughout the community. She is both a Chaplain and a Certified John Maxwell Speaker and Coach and a valuable resource for other business professionals.

Jackie was born in Lumberton, NC to Glenda M. Dockery and the late Alfred Jackson. She is a proud graduate of an HBCU, Fayetteville State University, and is married to realtor and retired military veteran, Ellis King. Together they have three sons, Perry, Destine, and Kyler. Jackie serves the community through Rotary International, serving with the East Greensboro Rotary club and auxiliary leader at Evangel Fellowship COGIC. She enjoys finding ways to support others during her downtime, traveling, reading, and retail therapy.

To learn more about Jackie King, please visit her website.