After graduating from St. Charles Borromeo High School , Giardina attended Louisiana State University and earned his degree in agricultural engineering. After helping to form Cameco Industries in 1965, he traveled to over 25 countries for the next 18 years, developing relationships and conducting business. In 1987, he became President and CEO of the company. At that time, the company employed 200 people and had sales of 23 million dollars.  In 1997, it had sales over 207 million dollars and employed 940 people. He currently holds 3 U.S. Patents. Giardina is currently President & CEO of Honiron Corporation, a manufacturing company in Jeanerette , Louisiana , and is also President of Rebecca Plantation, a 1,000-acre sugar farm near Houma , Louisiana . 

He and his late wife, Maxine, founded the Giardina Family Foundation in 1997. The foundation has trained thousands of teachers in multi-sensory learning techniques-free of charge. His interest in helping to educate parents and teachers about dyslexic children was paramount as his oldest two children had dyslexia. His concern for dyslexic students did not diminish when his children graduated; it continues today.  Because of Mr. Giardina’s belief in and close ties to Catholic education, many of the workshops are held at Catholic schools. Workshops have been held at Loyola University including a partnership with the Literacy Alliance of Greater New Orleans located at Loyola University . Workshops have also been held at Xavier University , Tulane, Southern and in high schools and centers in the Houma Thibodaux area, and Lafayette . He personally attends many of the workshops to talk with parents and teachers.  The foundation is currently working with the education department at Nicholls State to establish a charter school for dyslexic learners on their campus. If established, Nicholls State would be the only university in the state and the region to have their teachers trained in educating dyslexic learners. 

Giardina funds half of the salaries of the CCD teachers in Our Lady of Prompt Succor Church in Chackbay and has instructed the Director of the Foundation to provide ongoing support for Sr. Immaculata Poisant, Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. He has led several capital campaigns for E.D. White High School in Thibodaux . He was named to the E.D. White Hall of Fame in 2003 for his contributions.

Giardina has been the recipient of many honors and awards including the President’s Award given by the South Central Industrial Association to a successful industrialist for his years of service, the Francis M. Durel Award given by the Thibodaux VFW as a service award for outstanding service to the community, Servare Unitatem given by the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux for outstanding service to the Church and Diocese, the Beta Gamma Sigma Award given by the Board of Governors for services rendered to Nicholls State University, 1999 Business Hall of Fame Laureate Award given by Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans, and 1999 LSU College of Engineering – Engineering Hall of Distinction Award.

His philosophy in business and in life was formed in his days at St. Charles Borromeo. He believes that Catholic schools are vital because in addition to the basic education you receive, you also are taught personal responsibility, an obligation to do more for others if you have been blessed with more, giving to the church a fair portion of what you earn, fair treatment of people, and involvement in church and community. Jacob Giardina has certainly fulfilled his responsibility to his church and his community.