Jan Jacks, UAB Excellence in Business, Class of 2014University of Alabama at Birmingham alumna Jan Jacks is an artist. Her works are vivid and rich and she uses oils and fingers to create masterpieces that are devoured over and over again by the public.

However, Jacks is not your traditional artist. She is the owner, baker and artist behind Dreamcakes Bakery located in Homewood, Ala.

“From a very young age I had a creative passion for art and baking and an obsession to please people with ‘sugar art,’” said Jacks, who earned a Dietetic Technician certificate from the UAB School of Health Professions (then known as the School of Allied Health). “I am still obsessed to this day and my greatest joy is to be able to be a part of celebrating life with people and we get to do that everyday at Dreamcakes.”

Dreamcakes Bakery opened in January 2009. Since then the bakery has won countless awards including being named Best of Birmingham by Birmingham Magazine readers four consecutive years.

Jacks recently received another honor - being named to the 2014 UAB Excellence in Business Top 25. Not bad for someone who last year told a Birmingham News reporter that she doesn’t have a business background.

“It is such an honor to be recognized and be included in this group. I am very humbled to be among such distinguished graduates,” said Jack. “For me it means a tangible recognition of my hard work and perseverance; that I can be proud of my achievements and that you like my work too!”

Her success has allowed Dreamcakes to expand all across Birmingham in the form of a food truck. In the previously mentioned article from the Birmingham News, Jacks mentioned her Dreamteam, as they are called, is scouting locations for new stores and looking to place products in grocery stores. And she credits UAB with providing her a solid core to build her dreams upon.

“I could not afford to attend a university and pay for housing so UAB was close, convenient and affordable allowing me to live at home and work while going to school,” said Jacks. “Graduating UAB gave me credibility to apply for jobs in the Culinary Industry and actually gave me confidence to go for the jobs I wanted. My UAB degree opened so many doors for me.”