Inducted: 2009
A key figure in the North American co-op student housing movement for four decades, as well as a co-op ambassador who transcends his sector, James R. Jones is an inspirational leader whose passion and determination have touched the lives of countless individuals and communities with whom he has worked.
Through his career Jones served as Executive Director of four different student housing cooperative systems as well as of the North American Students of Cooperation (NASCO), purchased nearly 20 new cooperatives, promoted affordable housing co-ops for students, rescued nearly a dozen student co-ops from collapse, and helped devise several innovative systems to speed the pace of new co-op development nationally, including NASCO Properties and NASCO Development Services.
In addition, Jones has led hundreds of educational workshops throughout the nation and in four countries, assisted with raising capital to start a food co-op, started a credit union, served on national co-op boards, helped with the start-up of a personal assistance co-op, and documented the complete history of the student cooperative movement in North America. He also was instrumental in rebuilding the Emerging Leaders Conference as a vehicle to help ensure the development of the next generation of cooperative leadership.