Stan Jones was honored at the Indiana Chamber's 20th Annual Awards Dinner on November 10.

Press Release

Indianapolis, Ind. -- To win people over takes a certain personality – one with passion, commitment and patience. That combination is quite rare in government circles. Yet that is the hallmark of Stan Jones, Indiana’s former commissioner for higher education, who was named the Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s 2009 Government Leader of the Year for his role in generating key reforms to the state’s education system. Jones received the honor tonight at the Chamber’s 20th Annual Awards Dinner before a crowd of more than 1,000 business, civic and political leaders at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.

Among his initiatives as commissioner of higher education in Indiana: leading the charge to make college more accessible to a wider population; pushing to raise the state’s K-12 academic standards; and fully developing the state’s community college system. During his 14 years as commissioner, Jones also focused on procedures. He tasked the commission with looking at the big picture and implemented aggressive goals, culminating with the 2007 Reaching Higher report and strategic framework for improvement.

When reflecting back today on his time as commissioner, the accomplishment Jones singles out above all is one that led to the establishment of the Ivy Tech Community College system. At the time, Indiana was one of only six states to not offer a community college.

Indiana Chamber President Kevin Brinegar says Jones’ leadership on that issue was vital. “A lot of folks were involved, but no one deserves more credit for that, what we have today and the direction we’re headed in this state with vocational education and workforce training, the two-year community college system, than Stan Jones.”

After working a collective 34 years on education in Indiana, Jones felt he “needed to move on and go do something else,” leaving his post as higher education commissioner in the spring for a new challenge.

He relocated to Washington D.C. to start and lead a new national organization. The group’s focus is on improving college access and increasing graduation rates, particularly among at-risk students.

“This was an issue that I believed in quite strongly and was the last piece of unfinished business I was involved with in Indiana, so to me it was a natural step to take. There are some pretty significant efforts nationwide focused on college graduation, so the time is right; the stars are aligning to focus on this issue,” Jones notes.

Also honored at the Chamber’s Annual Dinner were JBS United Chairman and CEO John Swisher as Business Leader of the Year and Valparaiso as Community of the Year.

The dinner followed the Chamber’s Fall Board of Directors and Annual Membership meetings. Recognized during a luncheon ceremony as Volunteers of the Year for their work with the Chamber were Jerry Jones (Cannon IV) and Melissa Proffitt Reese (Ice Miller) of Indianapolis and Tim Haffner (Baker & Daniels) of Fort Wayne. In addition, Manufacturing Technology, Inc. of South Bend was named Small Business of the Year.

Steve Ferguson, chairman of Cook Group, Inc. in Bloomington, was elected the Chamber’s 2010 chair of the board of directors.

PAST INDIANA CHAMBER WINNERS:

Government Leader of the Year

Gov. Joe Kernan and Chief Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court Randall Shepard – 2008

Mayor Graham Richard – 2007

Gov. Mitch Daniels – 2006

Sen. Earline Rogers and Rep. Jerry Torr – 2005

Sen. David Ford and Rep. Brian Hasler – 2004

Rep. B. Patrick Bauer and Rep. Brian Bosma – 2003

Sen. Larry Borst – 2002

Gov. Frank O’Bannon and Supt. of Public Instruction Suellen Reed – 2001

Rep. Jeff Linder – 2000

Rep. Bob Behning – 1999

Sen. Teresa Lubbers – 1998

U.S. Rep. Lee Hamilton – 1997

U.S. Rep. David McIntosh – 1996

Rep. Michael Smith and Sen. Thomas Weatherwax – 1995

Rep. Paul Mannweiler – 1994

Sen. Morris Mills – 1993

Hon. Thomas Barnes – 1992

Sen. Joseph Harrison – 1991

U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar – 1990

Business Leader of the Year

Tony George – 2008

Niel Ellerbrook – 2007

Clarence J. “Mac” McCormick III – 2006

David Frick – 2005

Jerry Semler – 2004

Doug Bawel – 2003

Bob Koch – 2002

Marilyn Moran-Townsend – 2001

Christopher J. Murphy, III – 2000

Bill Cook – 1999

Ian Rolland – 1998

Patricia Miller – 1997

Randall Tobias – 1996

John Hillenbrand II – 1995

Frank Walker – 1994

Don Wolf – 1993

Dane Miller – 1992

Van Smith – 1991

Dick Wood – 1990

Community of the Year

Noblesville – 2008

Anderson – 2007

Evansville – 2006

LaPorte – 2005

Muncie – 2004

Warsaw – 2003

Marion – 2002

Greater Lafayette – 2001

Jeffersonville – 2000

Fort Wayne – 1999

Rochester – 1998

Batesville – 1997

Elkhart – 1996

Indianapolis – 1995

Kendallville – 1994

St. Joseph County – 1993

Columbus – 1992

Muncie – 1991

Bluffton – 1990

Source: Indiana Chamber of Commerce