03/05/2008
CONTACT: Harlan Levy, 503-936-5786
Tony Malandra, 415-664-9685
or Chuck Jones, 503-291-1313
Financial planner Chuck Jones makes community involvement his creed
SALEM, Ore. -- Portland small business leader Chuck Jones has another honor to add to his long list of accomplishments, this one from America's leading small business association, which today named him its Oregon Small Business Champion of the Year.
The honor was conferred upon him by the Oregon Leadership Council of the National Federation of Independent Business. Each year, NFIB singles out a small business owner in all 50 states for special recognition and honors him or her with its prestigious Small Business Champion of the Year award. This is the fifth year the national group has recognized small business owners who go the extra mile for their fellow entrepreneurs. Last year's winner was Charlie Tragesser of Lake Oswego. In 2006, it went to Dave Easton of Forest Grove. Eric Blackledge of Corvallis won it in 2005, and Jon Egge of Clackamas in 2004.
Jones is owner of Portland-based Chuck Jones & Associates, a financial planning and investment management company. Bit by the entrepreneurial bug at age 10, when he hired friends to help him sell paperback books, Jones started his first company in 1964. Four years later, he had 160 employees. "Since that first company, I have started many other organizations, for-profits and non-profits, and feel that the initial success was based on recognizing a need and then being able to follow through by organizing and utilizing the strengths of others," said Jones. "It is easy to spot a need but tricky to bring it to fruition."
The skills Jones brings to business have benefited his community as well, though his lengthy involvement in many civic and public institutions. The list of current and past organizations he has served either as a member, director, or president include -- in alphabetical order -- the American Lung Association, Certified Financial Planner Board, Charitable Trust of Portland Rotary, City of Portland Small Business Advisory Committee, Governor's Small Business Council, Junior Achievement Columbia Empire, Oregon Health Sciences University Medical Group, Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Our Saviors Lutheran Church, Portland Business Alliance, Portland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Portland Metropolitan Small Business Alliance, Portland/Multnomah Commission on Aging, Rotary Club, State of Oregon Small Business Council and The University Club. It was a Jones-led effort that pushed through Small Business Bill of Rights through the Portland City Council.
For NFIB/Oregon, Jones serves on its Leadership Council, is a member of its SAFE Trust political action committee, is a national Leadership Trust member, and testifies, writes letters, speaks to the media on small business issues. In addition to today's award, Jones received the Eldon Shafer Champion of Small Business Award in 2006 and was named an Outstanding Young Men of America.
