New England’s Hans Jackson is National President of CAR

By Larry McKinley

Hans Jackson with Daughter Erin

Hans E. Jackson is breaking new ground as the first SAR member elected as the Senior National President for National Society of the Children of the American Revolution. Until recently, N.S.C.A.R. bylaws stated that its top official must be a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. (By recent tradition, the Senior National Second Vice President office is held by an SAR member.) Recognizing the need for strong male role models and acknowledging the wishes of the membership, N.S.C.A.R. changed its bylaws. Jackson was elected as Senior National First Vice President in April 2010, and as Senior National President in April 2012.

Jackson has served at all levels within N.S.C.A.R., holding multiple positions throughout his service, including local senior society president of the John Stark Society, New Hampshire; New Hampshire state president; and senior national vice president of the New England Region. His involvement with C.A.R. started with organizing a new local society in New Hampshire, the John Stark Society, sponsored by the NHSSAR. The organizing of John Stark C.A.R. allowed New Hampshire to become a recognized state society after a 25-year lapse. The society started with seven members and grew to its pinnacle of 150 members in only six years. Jackson served five years as New Hampshire state president, seeing that each of the New Hampshire state presidents during his administration received the N.S.C.A.R. Gold State President’s Award and the SAR’s Silver C.A.R. Medal of Appreciation.

The John Stark Society, in which Jackson is still a senior leader, has won numerous contests and accolades, and has been honored as the National C.A.R. No. 1 society in the nation. New Hampshire members have been pictured in numerous newspapers and magazines and have taken part in filming for PBS features and the Discovery Channel’s Unsolved History: The Boston Massacre.

Jackson, the first SAR member elected as the Senior National President, has served at all levels within N.S.C.A.R.,
holding multiple positions throughout his service.

Above, Jackson, right, with National President N.S.C.A.R. Greg Thorne; at right, Jackson’s installation.

Jackson resides in Derry, N.H., with his wife, Trish, and their two children, Erin and Connor. Setting a great example for SAR and DAR members, the Jacksons have made C.A.R. a genuine family affair. Erin is serving N.S.C.A.R. as National Recording Secretary, and Connor is the New Hampshire state president. Trish is an elected Senior National Honorary Vice President, is serving her second term as Senior National Convention Chairman for the N.S.C.A.R., and is the chapter regent for the Molly Stark Chapter, DAR. It is this kind of family support that creates lasting memories and forges strong connections among our organizations.

As a senior leader for the C.A.R., Jackson has mentored young people through countless interactions. Honorary Senior National President Lois W. Schmidt noted that “[h]e gives each member, whether 1 or 21 years of age, his rapt attention and seeks out that interaction. He is never too busy to spend time with a member.”

Jackson’s leadership example extends to being a role model for senior leaders, too. He routinely demonstrates how C.A.R. is about the membership, and has led many activities to improve the organization for the benefit of the members. On the strategic level, he has applied his business management experience and subject matter expertise to influence technology innovation at N.S.C.A.R. Headquarters.

Jackson was awarded the SAR’s Silver C.A.R. Medal of Appreciation by President General Larry McClanahan (2001-02) and the SAR’s Gold C.A.R. Medal of Appreciation by President General Henry McCarl (2004-05). Additionally, he has been awarded the following medals by SAR: Patriot, Silver Color Guard, Distinguished Service, and Liberty Medals with silver oak leaf cluster.

President General McCarl applauded Jackson’s election as Senior National President, saying “[Jackson is] greatly dedicated to the activities of C.A.R. at all levels and especially with the New Hampshire Society. He has been a valuable liaison with SAR and we [the SAR] are pleased to work with him in cooperative C.A.R./ SAR activities.”

As an SAR member, Jackson has served in numerous state positions, including New Hampshire SAR state president 2002-04. He also has served the National Society SAR as Vice President General New England District 2008-09, and a committee member on the C.A.R., Color Guard, Patriotic Education, Council of State Presidents, and Council of Vice Presidents General committees. He was a founding member of the SAR’s New England Contingent Living History Unit that took part in hundreds of events educating thousands of students on multiple facets of the American Revolution.