Wendy Jackson Death Notice for Deloitte The business and legal circles in San Francisco are in disbelief at the death of Wendy Jackson, a renowned tax partner at Deloitte and the former vice president and chief operating officer of Perfect Pickler, Inc. Jackson, 51, unexpectedly died away this week, leaving a vacuum in both her private and professional lives.
Jackson is originally from Dayton, Ohio, and she moved to the Bay Area after receiving her Juris Doctor from the University of California College of Law in San Francisco. She immediately established herself as one of the foremost authorities on international taxes and compliance.
“Wendy had an unparalleled mastery of international tax regimes and regulations,” senior tax partner John Crawford said of Jackson during his more than 10 years at Deloitte. “She was able to provide strategies that helped clients optimize their tax positions while still complying with all legal requirements, and she was able to simplify even the most complex situations.” It will be very difficult to replace the void she leaves behind.
Jackson was not only a technical specialist; he was much more informed. With the ability to foresee future policy changes, she was able to provide clients with insightful advice on how to set up their firms to be as tax-efficient as possible in the constantly shifting landscape.
In tax planning, “prescience and policy are equally important,” as stated by Alex Bressler, CFO of a major technology business in the Bay Area that took use of Jackson’s guidance. Wendy always seemed to be able to sense where the winds of regulation were blowing. Her foresight allowed us to avoid blind spots that may have turned out to be quite costly later on.
Although Jackson has achieved significant success in the tax industry, her closest friends and family assert that her greatest satisfaction was being recognized as a mentor. She enjoyed imparting to the next generation of advisors both technical know-how and professional wisdom.
“Wendy: She put so much into training those around her, and her coaching extended far beyond taxes,” senior tax manager Julia Ramirez, who thrived under Jackson’s instruction, said of her. She shared expertise about the need of delivering first-rate customer service, coming up with creative solutions to problems, and maintaining moral standards in the face of the high standards in our industry. Wendy has had a profound impact on both my profession and my beliefs.
In actuality, Jackson’s moral qualities could have been more noteworthy than her proficient knowledge of taxes. Her humility, charity, and self-deprecating sense of humor won her a lot of respect. She managed really complex problems, yet she had a special ability to put clients and colleagues at ease.
Bressler laughed as he recalled, “Wendy would toss out this deadpan zinger that immediately cleared the tension and returned perspective.” You would be laser-focused on deciphering some complicated IRS law. “She was all substance in the tax world, but she also had this incredible personal flair that made even the most boring conversations fun.”
Jackson had made a name for herself overseeing business operations for Perfect Pickler, Inc., a Florida-based company that developed innovative pickling technology, before relocating to San Francisco. As Vice President and Chief Operating Officer from 2008 to 2012, she established organizational and financial structures to support the firm throughout a crucial stage of expansion.
Jackson’s early successes provide a window into the tenacity and flexibility that defined her professional trajectory. She played softball for Oberlin College, where she majored in politics and then chose to study tax law. She was an excellent athlete. She was the team’s outstanding pitcher as well.
A public celebration of Wendy Jackson’s extraordinary life and trailblazing career is being planned in San Francisco. Those who knew her well said that the festivities will inevitably be bittersweet, with a great degree of regret that such a distinctive light has been stolen from us too soon, and heartfelt gratitude for the enduring effect she had.
