TESTIMONIALS

Jackie can speak the developer's language and she can communicate with elected officials and community residents. She can quickly identify project issues and community issues and get things done. She understands the dynamics of public/private partnerships, understands the workings of state government and understands the complexities of local politics.

As the economy turns around, and communities look for high impact and developers look for projects that "work," Jackie Parker will be a great asset in helping to get those projects put together and completed.

Edward G. Rendell, former Governor of Pennsylvania

As Mayor you need to quickly learn who the “Go To” people are, and who you should avoid working with. Jackie Parker is a "Go To" person. She knows how to get the difficult, unconventional projects done. She can see the problems through the eyes of a Mayor and has the experience and knowledge to avoid them. She called and asked me for an endorsement, well, they say a picture is worth a thousand words. If you want to see what Jackie can do, you need to visit Lock Haven and especially our "Opera House" project. 

Her fingerprints are all over our downtown. If you have a difficult project Jackie Parker is a "Go To" person to help get it done!

Rick Vilello, Deputy Secretary Community Affairs and Development, Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development, and former Mayor of Lock Haven

Jackie Parker was instrumental in securing state financing for several priority projects in the City. For example, after sitting vacant and blighted for nearly two decades, the Lancaster Stockyards is now home to a thriving business and commercial center. This project preserved more than 300 jobs and added countless job opportunities and would not have happened without Jackie Parker. Her ability to facilitate a partnership between the City, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and a private developer brought this project to a successful conclusion.

Thus, without reservation, I enthusiastically recommend Jackie Parker and JZ Parker Community Solutions to anyone interested in the successful development of financing packages, job creation and revitalization projects that require a public/private partnership.

J. Richard Gray, former Mayor of Lancaster

During Jackie's tenure at DCED, she played an invaluable role in the revitalization of Downtown Wilkes-Barre. She not only streamlined and made available funding opportunities from the Commonwealth, but she forced or led collaborative partnerships that largely because of her are now sustainable. Wilkes-Barre's renaissance would not have been possible without our adopted friend and partner, Jackie.

Todd A. Vonderheid, former President/CEO, The Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business & Industry


Jackie Parker provided key guidance in identifying public dollars to leverage the private investment to our $30 million downtown revitalization project. She knows how to craft and implement a mixed-use (housing, retail, commercial, green-space), high impact project, pulling together funding and assistance from various state agencies, and cutting through "red tape" as needed to keep the project moving towards completion. I recommend her to any community or developer seeking guidance on assembling community changing economic development projects.

Christopher A. Doherty, former Mayor of Scranton


Jackie was instrumental in the creation of an important new initiative for facilitating significant urban redevelopment initiatives called the Community Action Team. This entity was responsible for being the single point of contact and project lead for major third-class cities and other core community redevelopment projects in the state of Pennsylvania. This brought her into contact with elected officials, developers financing entities and others required to assemble the necessary support for these complicated projects. Significant progress was made on a wide range of redevelopment initiatives as a result of her leadership.

Dennis Yablonsky, former CEO, Allegheny Conference on Community Development


I would like to give my highest recommendation of Jackie Parker and her new consulting firm. I have had the opportunity to work with Jackie during her time at the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development on many projects that have been successful in the City of Erie. Jackie's expertise helped us design, fund and implement large scale, complex projects that will help to transform our downtown into a strong economic driver for our community. These projects would not have been possible without the expertise and guidance of Jackie Parker and her staff.

Joseph E. Sinnott, former Mayor of Erie