The Dayton Foundation has named a new Governing Board chair, Charles A. Jones, retired chief operating officer/assistant city manager (deputy city manager) for the City of Dayton. He will serve a two-year term as chair. On January 1, 2008, he will succeed Fred C. Setzer, Jr., chairman of Setzer Corporation and Foundation Board chair for the past two years.

Jones currently is vice chair of The Dayton Foundation Governing Board, on which he has served since 2002, is a member of the Executive Committee and the Marketing/Public Relations Committee, serves for the Foundation on the Commission on Minority Inclusion (formerly the Diversity Task Force,) chairs the Neighborhood School Centers’ Oversight Committee and previously chaired the Foundation Grants and Programs Committee.

Over the past several years, he has held numerous prominent volunteer and interim leadership positions throughout Greater Dayton. Since his retirement from the City of Dayton in 1994, Jones has been the interim city manager for the City of Riverside, interim CEO of YWCA of Dayton, interim CEO for Planned Parenthood of the Greater Miami Valley and an adjunct assistant professor for Wright State University.

He currently or previously was a member of the boards of Miami Valley Hospital, Parity, World of Wonder Charter School, African-American Community Fund of The Dayton Foundation, Dayton Metropolitan Housing Authority, Antioch Publishing Company, Dayton Art Institute Associate Board, Dayton Urban League and the Minority Enterprise Small Business Investment Corporation.

In addition, he is a past deacon for Trinity Presbyterian Church and is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society, Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. Charles Jones also is a recipient of the Top Ten African-American Male Award and the Paul Lawrence Dunbar Humanitarian Award.

He earned a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Southern California and a bachelor’s degree from Kentucky State University.

“The community and philanthropy are two of my great passions,” Charles Jones said. “I am very passionate about The Dayton Foundation and would like people to better understand the Foundation’s historic role in so many positive changes to Greater Dayton. The Dayton Foundation historically has taken a backseat in being recognized for its leadership efforts. It’s vital that others see the unique position the Foundation holds as a neutral party, able to act as a community convener in situations where no one else can. To be able to more fully act on the opportunities before our community, The Dayton Foundation will need the flexibility we can only have if we are successful in growing our unrestricted assets. I’m convinced that we can and will do this.”

“Undoubtedly Dayton has significant economic issues today, but Dayton also has many pluses. What I hope for Greater Dayton,” he continued, “is a healthy and diverse community that has successfully made the transition from a manufacturing to a high-technology economy. The Dayton Foundation is on the cusp of so much positive community change. We have the leadership of an outstanding Governing Board, supported by an excellent staff, to help forward that positive change. I am very hopeful about our region’s future.”