2022 Southwest Woman Executive of the Year

From page 26 loading and delivering products such as milk, bread and eggs to help stock our stores,” she said. “There really was a sense of pride that you walked away with, knowing you work with such people in a company that cares so much about its customers as well as their employees.”

Also during the pandemic, BGC’s Focus on the Future scholarship campaign provided $1 million to help establish scholarship endowments at dozens of colleges and universities in the company’s market area. Scholarship recipients don’t have to be connected to BGC in any way. They just need to meet academic and community-centric requirements.

Alternatively, the Dollars for Scholars Scholarship is the company’s internal scholarship program for partners. And it’s not the only form of employee aid that Jones has helped establish since joining BGC.

When she was first brought on, the company asked her to “look into” establishing some form of employee assistance program. Set up in 2017, the Partner Care Fund has helped many employees as they deal with natural disasters, serious illnesses and family deaths.

Partners can contribute to the fund via payroll deduction. Fundraisers are also held throughout the year to help support it. Participation is not required to receive grants.

In its first year, the fund raised about $450,000. As of Aug. 1, it stood at $1.72 million, according to Ellen Reynolds, executive communications at BGC.

Suzanne Vance Osbourn, BGC’s VP, partner relations and development, noted one instance in which the fund helped an employee whose home was destroyed by fire.

“We’re very proud to be able to help because your heart hurts…we were able to immediately help,” she said. “And that’s for everybody. If that happens to any employee, they can immediately get some support.”

She explained further that it is “just the culture” that Jones has helped create. “That is something we do at BGC. It’s really about that culture, that community. It’s really just about helping people.”

The fund is managed through a partnership with the United Way of Smith County as a 501c3. Contributions to the Partner Care Fund are tax deductible. Jones said it’s one her proudest accomplishments – and one that was not accomplished alone.

“It’s not me. So many others deserve credit…it’s the goodwill of the partners who want to help each other,” she said. “You see the lives that we’ve touched each year. During our year-end review, we tell those stories…the lives that we have been able to help and change with it. It’s phenomenal. It’s something that we’re really proud of.”

Jones is part of many other community outreach and charitable organizations. Within BGC, that includes the Heroes Flight program, which has flown more than 500 military veterans, mostly from World War II, on two-to-three-day trips to the nation’s capital. She also volunteers at company events, including BGC’s epic FRESH 15 road race in Tyler.

In addition, Jones helps with the company’s Community Kitchen, a program that

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