Jack Sawyer, J.D. is a Partner and Managing Director for Cresset in the greater Atlanta region. Before joining Cresset, Jack served as Southeast Region President for Wilmington Trust. Jack is a fiduciary attorney who has extensive experience in charitable planning, comprehensive financial planning, trust administration, estate settlement, and private foundation management.
Jack earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and a law degree from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University. Upon graduation from law school, Jack joined SunTrust Banks in Atlanta, Georgia and became Internal Legal Counsel in their Trust and Investment Department. Mr. Sawyer subsequently co-founded Registered Investment Advisor, The Arden Group, Georgia’s first private fiduciary corporation, which was sold to Mellon Financial in 2003. He became the head of the Georgia region of Mellon Wealth Management before moving to Wilmington Trust as the Southeast Region President where he was responsible for leading wealth advisory services in the Southeastern United States.
Jack serves on the boards of directors for several organizations, including Andee’s Army (youth spinal cord and brain injuries), the nsoro Foundation (advanced education support for foster youth), the Atlanta Jewish Foundation, the High Museum of Art, Open Hand, and the Georgia Museum of Art. Jack is also a member of the Buckhead Coalition.
In 2009 Jack was honored for corporate and philanthropic commitment by the board of the Atlanta History Center at the Swan House Ball. In 2011, Jack was the honoree of the nsoro Foundation’s Starfish Ball, and the High Museum of Art’s Driskell Prize Dinner (showcasing the African American diaspora). Additionally in 2011, Jack received the American Jewish Committee’s National Human Relations Award. In 2014, Jack was honored by the National Black Arts Festival and he was honored by the United Negro College Fund in 2016 at the annual Mayor’s Masked Ball. In 2017, he was honored by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta as a “man of style and substance,” and he was also honored that year by Tiffany’s Blue Angel awards, for philanthropic commitment to Atlanta.
Jack was recognized as one of Atlanta’s Top 50 Most Powerful People in the inaugural list published by The Atlantan in 2022. He has also been recognized as one of Atlanta’s 500 most powerful leaders by Atlanta Magazine for the inaugural year of 2019, as well as 2020 to 2024*. *The Atlanta 500 is a subjective award given out to Atlanta’s unsung visionaries such as CEOs of the largest companies, managing partners of big law firms, current presidents of professional organizations, and heads of top nonprofits, educational institutions, and arts groups. The Atlanta Magazine editorial board consulted experts across different sectors and sought nominations from the public through social media. The award recipients did not submit information to be considered for the award.