George Jackson resigned post as CEO of DEGC, Jan. 30.COURTESY PHOTO[/caption] DETROIT — George Jackson resigned from the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation Jan. 30. He will remain the CEO until March 31. Jackson is known as the economic development guru of southeastern Michigan. For many Blacks, he also represented the last African American with any directive over city planning policy and economic development dollars spent in Detroit. He has headed the DEGC since 2002. Political observers say Jackson was pushed out. In December, incoming Mayor Mike Duggan asked Thomas Lewand Sr. to head his economic growth initiatives. Under emergency management, the DEGC and Jackson played a large role in the city’s planning and workforce development plans. DEGC also headed negotiations on the new $400 million hockey stadium planned for downtown Detroit. In recent weeks, staff and projects have been transferred to Lewand. “This is about control of dollars. George was successful, why take him out? The takeover is complete,” said one political insider referring to the loss of Black political representation in Detroit. — Staff report