A native of Laurel, Mississippi in Jones County, received his Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture Education from Alcorn State
University in 1971.
Mr. Jones professional career expands over 36 years with the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service and retired as the Assistant Sate Conservationist for Operations in Lexington, Kentucky.
Through his vast knowledge of grant writing and fundraising, Mr. Jones has been instrumental in managing budgets over $30,000,000 to distribute to needy entities to make a difference. In Kentucky, he secured over $5 million to rebuild the Freeman Lake Watershed Dam, wrote the Scott County Water Quality Plan, provided funding to establish the Small Limited Resource Farmers Conference at Kentucky State University, established several Urban and Community Gardens throughout Kentucky, Coach for the 4-H Land Judging Team and established chapters of Minority in Agriculture Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) at Kentucky State University and University of Kentucky
Throughout his career, he has received numerous professional and civic awards, and recognitions for his work throughout the state of Kentucky and Mississippi including Superior Performance Award and Outstanding Performance Award from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Distinguish Service Award from the Scott County Conservation District, Order of Kentucky Colonel Inductee from the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Citation from the Kentucky House of Representatives, Proclamation from Scott County in Kentucky, Certificate of Appreciation from the National Organization of Professional Black NRCS Employees Kentucky Chapter and Certificate of Recognition from Kentucky Conference of NAACP Branches.
Mr. Jones is a strong advocate for Alcorn State University. He has hired countless number of Alcorn graduates throughout Kentucky, Ohio, Missouri, Mississippi and Indiana and attends recruitment fairs. He served as the national chairperson of the Medgar Evers Statue Campaign Committee for the Alumni Association. As chairperson, he was instrumental in securing $75,000 donation toward the campaign from Toyota. Mr. Jones has been instrumental in soliciting over $100,000 to the Black History Scholarship in both Kentucky and Mississippi. He led the process to charter the Central Kentucky Alcorn Alumni Chapter and served as its President until he relocated back to Mississippi. He along with his brothers have established the Ira and Geneva Jones scholarship with the Alcorn State University Foundation in memory of their parents.
He is a member of professional and community organizations including Soil and Water Conservation Society, the National Organization of Professional Black Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Employees, Alcorn State University National Alumni Association, Northeast Mississippi Alumni Chapter, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Men with One Voice Empowered (M.O.V.E.) and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
He is married to Etta Jones and they have two children: John, Jr. and Kimberly. They reside in Tupelo, Mississippi.