Martinsville, Va, – New College Institute’s (NCI) Board of Directors met Friday, November 18, 2022 for a strategic planning session. Eric Jones was appointed by the board to serve as Secretary in a unanimous vote. His role will ensure the organization remains in compliance with all laws and mandates, and serves as the official record keeper and advisor to aid board directors in fulfilling their fiduciary duties.
Jones was nominated and appointed to the NCI Board by Gov. Ralph Northam in April 2021. This role is much more than just an appointment for Jones, as he is originally from the Martinsville-Henry County area. A native to the area, he views this volunteer service as giving back to his hometown community to provide impactful opportunities to the area citizens.
Given his ties to the Martinsville-Henry County community, Jones says he is, “Pleased to be able to give back and share his knowledge of the area with other NCI Board members not familiar with this region. I aim to combine both my past experience and current roles to transform the economies of southside Virginia. I would like to volunteer my time and energy to give back to Martinsville, a place that gave so much to me”
Jones’ 22-year career has included positions in cyber security, consulting and sales with Lockheed Martin, Booz Allen Hamilton and Gartner. He currently serves as AT&T’s National Security Director of Business Development and Growth. His experience has included engagements across the Department of Defense, NASA, Department of Justice, and many of the U.S. Intelligence Community agencies. Jones also holds positions as the president of AT&T’s Nation’s Capital Chapter of the Black Integrated Communications Professionals, an employee resource group, and a board member of the Wendell Scott Foundation.
Jones is the son of Royal Jones, and the late Connie C. Jones. His father is a Vietnam veteran and an active member of the American Legion Homer Dillard Post #78. Jones graduated from Laurel Park High School in 1997 where he was an honor student and four-year letterman in baseball, basketball and golf. This is also where Jones met his wife Jessica Penn Jones, a 1998 graduate of Magna Vista High School. Jessica, a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, and Georgetown University, is the CEO and co-founder of The CODE Group, a minority and woman-owned management consulting firm, specializing in consulting, communications, coaching, and courses. The two live in Annapolis, MD, with their very own “Martinsville-born” English Bulldog Bash.
After graduating from Laurel Park High School in 1997, Jones went on to graduate from Virginia State University with a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems and Decision Sciences, while also lettering in golf and basketball. He then received a Master’s in Information Systems and Telecommunication Sciences from The Johns Hopkins University’s Carey School of Business. He is currently pursuing his Doctorate in Business Administration from Marymount University.
Contact:
Kim Phillips
New College Institute
kphillips@newcollegeinstitute.org
