Former Vice President of Human Resources - Brill's Colony Clothing Store

Gwen T. Jackson was a trailblazing leader, philanthropist, and lifelong advocate for community service in Milwaukee and beyond. After a 31-year career at Brill’s Colony, where she rose to Vice President of Human Resources, Gwen turned her focus to volunteerism—most notably through the American Red Cross. She began volunteering in 1961 and went on to serve as Chair of the Greater Milwaukee chapter and, in 1988, became the first Black person appointed National Chair of Volunteers.
Gwen’s legacy includes decades of service to organizations such as the United Way, Milwaukee Urban League, YWCA, and Milwaukee County Department of Aging. She was a fierce advocate for children, leading the Child Care Advisory Committee and founding the Early Childhood Council of Milwaukee. In 2009, a local school was renamed in her honor: the Gwen T. Jackson Early Childhood and Elementary School.

Her many accolades include the United Way’s Gwen T. Jackson Community Service Award and the Red Cross’s Cynthia Wedel Award. Gwen passed away in 2019 at the age of 90, leaving behind a profound legacy of compassion, leadership, and civic impact.

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