Johnson County native Rebecca "Becky" Jones, who has spent more than 30 years in senior management positions for numerous retail companies, was named the University of the Ozarks' 2014 Business Leader of the Year by the University's Division of Business, Communication and Government.
Jones, a native of Clarksville, recently retired as senior vice president for merchandising, marketing and logistics for Hibbett Sporting Goods, based in Birmingham, Ala. She talked to a large group of U of O students on Wednesday as part of the Distinguished Speaker Series, sponsored by student business organizations Enactus and Phi Beta Lambda.
Jones told the students to keep in mind four important points as they embark on their careers.
"First, you have to persevere in everything you do," she said. "You also have to have determination. The next thing is to have a positive attitude. A negative attitude can harm your career quicker than anything. The last thing I would suggest is to find yourself a mentor. Everyone needs a mentor and it’s especially true in the business world."
Jones previously served as vice president for Jo Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, Inc., Wal-Mart Stores and Fred Meyer, Inc. In her role with Hibbett Sporting Goods, she oversaw marketing, merchandising and logistics for the company that has more than 950 stores in 32 states.
The University’s Division of Business, Communication and Government began awarding the Business Leader of the Year Award in 2003, following the business program gaining accreditation by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE). The award is modeled on the IACBE Business Leader of the Year Award guidelines.
Among those who presented the 2014 Business Leader of the Year Award to Becky Jones were (from left), Andrea Chamorro, president of Enactus; Dr. Rickey Casey, professor of management and business; Phyllis Johnson, assistant professor of business education; Dr. Robert Hilton, professor of management and business; Jones; Dr. Travis Feezell, provost; and Catalina Chen, president of PBL.
Topics: Business Administration