This article features Sergeant Major Jean Dowding, Ret
Jean Dowding, CEO (Chief Empowerment Officer) at Dowding Resource Group, is an “ALL-IN” full-service community building Veteran, REALTOR®, Educator and Alpha Kappa Alpha Incorporated® Golden Soror initiated as a charter member and officer of Epsilon Omicron Chapter. She is a U. S. Global Leadership Coalition Veteran State Leader (DE), corporate executive and advocacy member.
Service is in her DNA. Jean Dowding began a lifelong commitment to public service as an elementary school teacher in Volusia County Florida following in her mother’s footsteps and honoring the educator’s legacy her grandfather began in the 1890s in Southwest GA. As a Soldier, she taught senior military leadership skills in Officer Candidate School and NCOES in Regional Training Institutes.
Standing on a legacy of military excellence, she joined the US Army March 1983. In World War II, her Beloved “Papa” stormed the beaches of Normandy in June 1944 beginning a family military legacy serving America Above Himself with honor and distinction. Jean is a Disabled American Veteran life member and benefits advocate and member of First State Military Women Warriors (FSMWW). She has 25 years of distinguished service in the United States Army Signal Corps, Quartermaster and Adjutant General’s Corps in leadership assignments of increasing responsibilities in European, Middle Eastern, African, and Pacific Theaters. NDowding’s fluency in several languages proved to be a strategic asset in her military service with 41 countries and NATO cementing her belief that the strength of our diversity is a force multiplier in any arena.
Dowding is a decorated veteran and recipient of numerous U. S. Army awards and medals and Delaware Governor’s Medals in Aid to Civil Authority (Governor Castle and Governor Carper). Dowding is a U. S. Army Sergeants Major Academy Commandant’s List Distinguished Honor Graduate with top-of-class honors in a class of 743 Soldier.
Most recently, she was honored as A Lady And A Legend in March 2025 with the Distinguished Military Leadership Award. As a leader, Jean brings positive energy into any room and greets everyone with the heart of a servant because she believes “service to others is the rent we pay in life”. She’s listed in Who’s Who Among American Women; Who’s Who Among U. S. Executives; Outstanding Young Women of America; Who’s Who Among American Colleges and Universities; Who’s Who Among American High School Students. She is the 2018 Metropolitan Wilmington Urban Leagues’ Kent County Unsung Hero in Economics and Business; Civic Engagement and Community Outreach.
Her media and publication honors include Money Magazine, Ebony, Cosmopolitan, Jet, New York Womensweek (Editor), Wall Street Journal; her original television series “To Market, To Market: Portrait of a Wall Street Stockbroker” – WNYCTV, Orlando Sentinel, Delaware State News, Dover Post, The Middletown Transcript, My Middletown, Smyrna Clayton Times and The Sussex Countian.
Jean Dowding is a CRS®, Certified Residential Specialist. The CRS® Designation is the hallmark of success and is the National Association of REALTORS®’ highest credential awarded to residential REALTORS®, brokers and managers and represents the elite performers in the real estate industry. Less than 3% of the 1.6 million REALTORS® working today in the U. S. are CRS® designees.
Her National Association of REALTORS® designations and certifications are numerous. At the national level, she served on the National Association of REALTORS®’ 2022 Leading Edge Advisory Board and the NAR Insurance Committee – 2022 Federal Disaster Policy Workgroup. She supports the REALTORS® Relief Fund and is a National Association of REALTORS® RPAC Major Investor.
As a Realtist® member of NAREB, Jean continues a 38-year professional commitment to building generational wealth through democracy in housing for all Americans. She holds the National Association of Real Estate Brokers’ NAREB Faith-Based and Civic Engagement Certification.
A REALTOR® and Veteran Advocate, Jean’s serves as a State, Local and Federal Policy Coordinator and served on the DAR Strategic Planning, Public Policy, Professional Development; Budget & Finance Committees.
Dowding’s professional skills intersect in the superb resource connections she makes in her advocacy for children, veterans, seniors, and homeowners. She has broad professional experience as a Business Management Consultant, Wall Street Institutional Portfolio Management Stockbroker; Actor, Singer; Fashion and Interior Designer; and Educator at the secondary school and college levels.
She embraces new challenges and greater community involvement advocating for veterans and mentoring at-risk youth in marginalized communities. Jean’s organizational development skills were on full display empowering small businesses as a former Central Delaware Honorary Mayor assisting entrepreneurs in securing new sources of sustainable income and marketing strategies; Vice President of Membership of the Women’s Council of REALTORS® Sussex County Network Governing Board; Delaware Fund for Women’s Board of Trustees as a Director and Kent County Development Chair boosting its endowment sponsoring membership to over 2000 Founders.
She serves on the Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce Legislative Affairs and Military Affairs Committees; the Delaware State Chamberadvocating for businesses, veterans, seniors and homeowners speaking out in Delaware’s General Assembly. As 2021-2022 President of the Dover Colonial Rotary Club, Jean reactivated the Dover High School Interact Club to foster (RYLA)Rotary Youth Leadership Scholarships for marginalized students.
In her commitment to build generational wealth for all Americans, Jean holds herself to a standard of excellence to provide the highest quality innovative services tailored to the unique dreams, lifestyles, and budgets of the organizations and people she serves. Relationships with Clients, Colleagues, Strategic Partners, and the Communities she serves are built on trust and integrity.
In her unwavering commitment advocating for at-risk youth, seniors, small businesses and homeowner’s property rights: Jean creates value in positive experiences and works hard serving to empower and change the lives of those who dare to dream with their eyes wide open. With over 40 years of service to Delaware and the nation as an Educator, REALTOR® and Veteran: Jean Dowding knows what it means to SERVE.
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