Zella Jackson Hannum, PhD, has built a distinguished career in fine art and new technology ventures. Since 2016, she has served as business development manager and artist brand manager at Gallery Zella, leveraging her expertise to expand fine arts firms worldwide. She is also the owner and founder of Novasearch Consultants & Publishing, a firm she established in 1983, where she has played a pivotal role in commercializing technology across the United States and Mexico.
Dr. Jackson Hannum’s professional experience also includes leadership roles across multiple industries. From 2013 to 2014, she served as director of the entrepreneurship and small business development institute at Ferris State University, following her role as a mechanical engineering technology instructor at the same institution in 2012. Her contributions to research span manufacturing engineering process improvements at Western Michigan University from 2007 to 2012 and tech-based entrepreneurship field research for the North American Advanced Manufacturing Research and Education Initiative from 2008 to 2009.
Earlier in her career, Dr. Jackson Hannum held management positions in the fine arts sector, serving as the manager of business development at The GreenHouse Gallery in San Antonio, Texas, from 2004 to 2006, as the manager of content and e-learning at Gallery Row in Reno, Nevada, from 2002 to 2004, and as the manager of business development at Maestro Pedestals in Rohnert Park, California, from 2001 to 2002.
Dedicated to pursuing higher education throughout her career, Dr. Jackson Hannum holds a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering, a Master of Business Administration in production control and manufacturing process design, and a Master of Science in mechanical engineering from Michigan State University, where she became the first African American and woman to graduate with a degree in mechanical engineering. Additionally, she earned a Doctor of Philosophy in mechanical engineering and business from Western Michigan University in 2012, making history as the first person of color and the first woman to achieve this distinction at the institution. Dr. Jackson Hannum’s academic achievements laid the foundation for her early success as a systems operations manager at IBM, where she led a team of 40 systems analysts before the age of 30.
Dr. Jackson Hannum’s professional contributions extend beyond her primary roles. She is the bestselling author of “The Art of Selling Art,” which has sold more than 50,000 copies. Her other publications include “New Technology Venture Balanced Scorecard: Derived From Product Quality Factors” and “The Art of Being an Entrepreneurial Woman.” Dr. Jackson Hannum also co-authored “Economic Impact of the Visual Arts” and hosted the International Art Business Symposium at ArtPrize. In her free time, she supports civic initiatives, including a scholarship fund for high-achieving high school students through Gallery Zella’s art auction.
Among her career highlights, earning a doctorate in mechanical engineering as a nontraditional student while raising twins remains one of Dr. Jackson Hannum’s proudest achievements. Navigating a male-dominated field presented challenges, but she found the journey deeply rewarding. She takes pride in publishing research that offers a fresh perspective beyond conventional academic viewpoints.
In light of her impressive undertakings, Dr. Jackson Hannum has been honored with the National Science Foundation Professoriate Award, multiple National Science Foundation Scholarships, and the Career Woman of the Year award from the State of Hawaii. She attributes her success to her intellect, talent, and the influence of high-minded individuals who have inspired her to continue achieving. Looking to the future, as an avid painter, Dr. Jackson Hannum plans to open Studio Zella to showcase emerging artists while collaborating with the Smoky Mountain arts community. Her vision includes co-producing a Smoky Mountain arts festival with the Smoky Mountain Community Theatre and potentially funding a perpetual scholarship endowment in Bryson City, North Carolina.