Patricia Jackson, retired human resources and labor relations expert, and entrepreneur, has died at 74

Patricia Jackson, 74, of Philadelphia, retired human resources and labor relations executive, pioneering organizer of the affirmative action office at the University of Pennsylvania, and founder and chief executive officer of Alpha Security & Consulting Inc., died Thursday, Oct. 31, of heart failure at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Jackson earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees and a doctorate in industrial psychology at Purdue University in the 1970s, and worked as a director in human resources and labor relations at Consolidated Rail Corp., also known as Conrail, in Philadelphia; Lever Bros. in New York; and General Mills in Chicago. She moved to Philadelphia from Chicago to work for Conrail in 1982 and joined Penn in 1983 to develop its nascent Office of Affirmative Action.

She was hired as a vice president at Burns security services in 1988 and became so proficient at managing operations that she established her own Alpha Security & Consulting Inc. in 1992. By the time she retired in 2015, Alpha employed 150 security officers and had protection contracts with dozens of local businesses, museums, schools, and other entities.

Dr. Jackson championed equality and opportunity for women, veterans, and employees of color everywhere she worked. She specialized in equal opportunity reforms and community relations at General Mills, and inclusive training and development programs for underserved employees at Lever Bros. in the early 1980s.

She started at Conrail in Chicago, moved to its Philadelphia office, and oversaw safety and labor relations issues. At Penn, she laid the groundwork for many of its current equal opportunity programs.

“She was fascinated with the mind and human behavior, and used the learning process to make things better for people,” her daughter Jillian Pirtle said. “She always had a helpful heart and spirit.”

Dr. Jackson studied culinary arts in Paris when she was young and teamed with city officials to create a culinary training program for aspiring restaurant workers in Philadelphia. She was on the board of the Marian Anderson Historical Society and active with the Ridgway Library and other cultural organizations.

She was the first Black woman to earn a private investigator’s license in Pennsylvania in the 1980s, her family said, and she was named director of immigration reform for the National Union of American Families in 2005.

“She was known as the renaissance woman,” her family said in a tribute. “She crafted a unique destiny of change, development, and success for herself and others.”

Patricia Jackson was born Jan. 20, 1950, in Gary, Ind. Studious and energetic, she was empathetic as a girl and volunteered often to help her sisters with their homework. She graduated from high school at 15, spent a summer in France as part of the Upward Bound academic program, and earned her doctorate at Purdue in 1979.

She met Shelby Pirtle in 1981 in Chicago, and they married and had twins Ashley and Jillian. They divorced later. Her former husband died in 2023.

Dr. Jackson belonged to the Delta Sigma Theta sorority, served as a deaconess at her church, and sang first soprano in the choir. She enjoyed reading, movies, and traveling, and doted on her dogs.

She admired strong professional women and was inspired by the TV characters played by actors Angela Lansbury, Cybill Shepherd, and Candice Bergen. She even appeared as Chef Patti on The Arts In Color TV show to promote her favorite restaurants and recipes, including her popular spring big salad.

“She loved life,” her daughter said. “She was always bubbly and full of laughter and joy. She was my best friend.”

In addition to her children, Dr. Jackson is survived by two sisters and other relatives. Two sisters died earlier.

Visitation with the family is to be from 9 to 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 11, at Tindley Temple United Methodist Church, 750 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19146. A service is to follow.

Donations in her name may be made to the Marian Anderson Museum and Historical Society, 762 S. Martin St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19146.