Steven B. Jones

Steven B. Jones is the Chief Executive Officer of APEX Consulting Group, LLC, a Mid-South based Marketing and Public Policy Strategy firm. In that role, he works with various clients and partners to develop and achieve their strategic marketing and public policy objectives. Under the APEX umbrella is a commercial printing division which works with companies and nonprofits across the region to achieve their printing production needs.

Jones previously served as Senior Vice President and Director of Programs with Southern Bancorp Community Partners (SBCP). Southern Bancorp is consistently one of the most impactful Rural Development Banks in the nation and is based in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. SBCP is the bank's affiliate nonprofit. SBCP works with neighbors, nonprofits, governmental entities and businesses to reimagine and rebuild their communities through strategic planning and implementation of their shared vision. Jones oversaw the organization's work in each state where the bank had a presence.

Prior to working with SBCP, Jones served for six years during the administration of Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe as Deputy Director of the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS), the state's largest agency. DHS's budget exceeded $6.5 Billion and had over 6,000 employees. In that role he oversaw five of the DHS's ten Divisions. He worked with his leadership team to launch various initiatives that included rebalancing the state's Long-Term Care System for senior citizens, reforming the state's Juvenile Justice System, and expanding the childcare and summer food sites across the state of Arkansas.

In July 2010, Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe appointed Jones to serve as his designee to the Delta Regional Authority Board. This Federal Board fosters partnerships throughout the region as it works to improve the Delta economy and is comprised of the Federal Co-Chairman appointed by the President of the United States, and the governors' designees of the eight states in the Delta Region of our nation.

In 1998, Jones was elected and served over six years in the Arkansas House of Representatives. As a member of the House of Representatives, Jones served as Chairman of the influential Peer/Review Committee, the Claims Committee and the Rail and Mass Transit Subcommittee. He was the lead House sponsor of the Arkansas Delta Development Commission Act, the Arkansas Fair Housing Commission Act, the Arkansas Price Gouging Act along with other pieces of legislation that are positively impacting the lives of Arkansans. His legislative accomplishments have earned commendations from the Arkansas State Police, the Arkansas Municipal League, Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, the East Arkansas Educational Consortium, Arkansas State University and numerous other civic and advocacy organizations. Jones was recognized as one of the “One Hundred to Watch” Rising Stars in the Democratic Party during the 2000 Democratic Convention in Los Angeles, California and he was selected as one of the “Top Forty Leaders Under Forty” by the Memphis Business Journal. During his final term he was number 2 in seniority.

Jones, who attended Arkansas State University and The Harvard University Executive Leadership Academy, has previous experience that includes serving as a member of the Earle, Arkansas City Council, Vice Chair of the Arkansas Educational Television Network Commission and Chairman of the Delta Service Corps Board of Directors. He also served on the advisory board of a regional bank, and was general manager of a major Northeast Arkansas publishing and commercial printing firm. Jones's civic contributions include serving as Chairman of the Arkansas Educational Television Network Foundation Board, Finance Chair of the Earle Church of God in Christ Board, Chair of the John Gammon Scholarship Foundation, President of the Earle Chamber of Commerce Board, Member and Chair of the Government Relations Committee of the West Memphis Chamber Board, Member of what is now the Arkansas State University-Mid South Foundation Board and member of the Board of Directors of the Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care.

Jones is married to Dr. Susan Ward-Jones. They have one daughter and two sons, and reside in Marion, Arkansas.