Reese Jarrett and partner, Tom Carter, joined forces in 1993 to form Carter Reese & Associates, an urban development company specializing in carefully planned, in-fill projects. The company focuses on innovative residential and mixed-use projects that enhance the existing character of urban, older neighborhoods in San Diego. In 2002, the Black Contractors Association of San Diego named Carter Reese & Associates "Urban Housing Developer of the Year".
As executive vice president and director of the Southeastern Economic Development Corp., Jarrett worked to bring businesses to low-income areas because he believed that creating job opportunities would help residents provide better lives for themselves. Jarrett is a recipient of the San Diego Urban Bankers Community Development Award in recognition of his career-long achievements.
Carter Reese is involved in a number of community service initiatives including the San Diego Martin Luther King Jr. Foundation, of which Jarrett is president, CFO and chairman of the board.