Jones served as the Commissioner of the Federal Property Resources Service (FPRS) at the General Services Administration (GSA) Headquarters in Washington, D.C., from April 1984 until retiring in December 1993. He was GSA’s first African American Commissioner.
FPRS was responsible for managing the nation’s multi-million dollar program for the utilization and disposal of federal real estate. Jones was the Assistant Commissioner of the FPRS, Office of Real Property, from 1979 to 1984. Until transfer of the function to the Department of Defense in 1988, Jones was also responsible for the management and administration of the nation’s multi-billion dollar stockpile of strategic and critical materials.
Jones joined GSA’s Office of Real Property in 1962 as GSA’s first African American realty trainee, GS-5, and subsequently served in a number of high-level positions, including the Deputy Director of Eastern Division from 1971 to 1976 and the Director of Western Division from 1976 to 1979.
Jones became a charter member of the Federal Government’s Senior Executive Service (SES) established in 1979, becoming an executive level 6, the highest level for a career employee in the U. S. civil service. Among many honors earned during his career, Jones received the Presidential Rank Award of Meritorious Executive in 1983, the GSA Distinguished Service Award in 1984 and the GSA Exceptional Service Award in1993. Additionally, he was nominated in 1988 for the Presidential Rank Award of Distinguished Executive and in 1990 for the President’s Volunteer Action Award. In 1991, Jones was inducted into the West Virginia State College (now University) ROTC Hall of Fame.
During his career, Jones played a significant role in many Presidential initiatives including military base closures and realignments, selling surplus Federal real estate to help reduce the national deficit, the Legacy of Parks program, the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act and the Jamaican Bauxite Acquisition program.
Under Jones’ programs, millions of dollars worth of surplus real estate were conveyed for health and education, park and recreation, wildlife conservation, historic preservation, the homeless and converted for residential, commercial and industrial use. Untold numbers of jobs and employment opportunities were created. Additionally, the stockpile acquisition and disposal program helped stabilize the governments of various friendly foreign countries.
A trail blazer in minority affairs, during the 1980’s, Jones served as Special Advisor to the Administrator of GSA on career advancement initiatives for women, minority and those with disabilities. He promoted agency-wide community based volunteer programs, including the adoption of the Prospect and Buchanan Learning Centers in Washington, D.C. in 1988 under the Partnership in Education program.
Jones participated in the D.C. Committee on Public Education Project to help upgrade the quality of education and school facilities in the District of Columbia and worked closely with the Senior Citizens Counseling and Delivery Service in D. C. assisting in the needs of Seniors. After retirement in 1993, Jones became involved in Columbia community affairs, serving on the Oakland Mills Village Board and the Columbia Council.
A former Army Captain, Jones was born June 14, 1934 in Martinsburg, West Virginia. He graduated from Ramer Memorial High School, at the age of 16. He was Salutatorian of his class earning an academic scholarship to Storer College (now closed) in Harpers Ferry, WV. Instead, Jones enrolled and graduated from West Virginia State College (now University) with a B.S. Degree in Business Administration and was commissioned as an Army officer in 1955. Later Jones attended graduate school at the American University in Washington, DC.
Jones is survived by his wife Annetta Jones (Bitzer), daughter Carmen Jones- Burke, grandchildren Kayla Calix-Hestick, her husband Anthon Calix-Hestick, Carena Burke, Kiel Burke, his wife Amber Burke and Cody Burke, great-grandchildren Derek, Trianna, Makaehla, Elisio, Gabriella, Lilah, Nina, Evelynn, Nathaniel, and Rowyn, as well as many cousins, nieces, nephews and other family members. Jones continuously expressed his deepest love for family and friends as blessings from God. He was always there for them as they were for him.
Jones was predeceased by his parents, George and Anna May (Wells) Jones, sisters Agnes L. Campbell, Eva May Jones and Doris E. Burrell and brothers George H. Jones, Jr. and Raymond L. Jones.
Jones was a member of New Hope Lutheran Church in Columbia, MD. Private interment and graveside service for immediate family at the Crest Lawn Memorial Gardens, Marriottsville, MD.
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