Distinguished Alumni Award 2018

It is our pleasure to present our Alumni of the Year Award for 2018 to Mr. Rick Jones for his outstanding leadership, his stewardship toward the Catholic churches and schools, along with his generosity and support toward the community.

Rick Jones grew up in a Catholic family with his three brothers and one sister. The Jones family were members of St. Eugene Parish. Rick attended St. Eugene Catholic School from 1962-1968 where he was an altar server and member of the Boy Scouts of America. He graduated Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School in 1972. The Catholic faith, along with a Catholic education, remained important to Rick, as all three of his children attended St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School and then graduated from Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School. Now, two of his grandchildren, Molly and Jack Taylor, are following in his footsteps by attending St. Eugene Catholic School.

Family is a very big part of Rick’s life. He has been married to his wife Cindy for 42 years and they raised their three kids, Jennifer, Brian, and Lezlie, in the Catholic faith. He worked very hard and many hours to support his family and give them a Catholic education. He did his best taking them to the airport to watch the planes land, going fishing, attending sporting events, visiting family at his parents’ farm, or swimming at the pool. Now, he enjoys hanging out with his kids and grandchildren, attending sporting events, riding together in the golf cart, swimming at the pool, and vacationing together.

Rick’s passion for cars began at a young age when he drove a 1968 Z-28 Camaro while a teen growing up in the Village. In 1976, he began washing cars at Gandara Buick. It was there he realized that owning a dealership one day was his goal.

He worked his way through the dealership detailing cars, service manager, director, used car manager, and then Rick became the general sales manager. He purchased his dealership in April 1988 where he sold Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Buick and GMC. For the past 30 years he has run a successful business with amazing service. His employees love working for him and most have been with him throughout his career. Rick was the first person to build an air conditioned dealership service department to keep his servicemen comfortable during the Oklahoma heat. His customers appreciate the way he takes care of them during the buying experience and also in the service after the purchase. He invested in hail-protecting canopies that protect his extensive inventory and provide comfort for his customers in all types of weather. Rick has been known to pick up a car at a customer’s house, take it to work for servicing, and then bring it back to the customer’s home.

One of his nominators said, "We have always admired Rick’s kind heart and generosity. He is always willing to help those in need. He prides himself on giving back to the community."

Congratulations, Rick, and thank you for being a fine example of a servant leader.