The call to make a positive difference in the world came to Renée Jones, MAS+, at the tender age of 17. The seed was planted early by her grandmother, Mama Ruby, an active volunteer in the veterans community, who routinely prodded Jones to join the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary.

One day, when Jones was away at college, she had a change of heart. “The only way to describe it is that the good Lord spoke to me, and I made a New Year’s resolution to do whatever I could to make a difference in the lives of veterans who were willing to give their life for someone they didn’t know,” she says.

In that moment, Jones promised Mama Ruby that she would do what she could, when she could, but that she wasn’t interested in becoming an officer. However, Jones’ natural leadership abilities turned heads, and soon she was elected as a unit officer, then a state officer and eventually as National Commander, the youngest to date in the history of the organization.

From there, Jones became involved in the Department of Veterans Affairs, where her first volunteer assignment was conducting bingo parties at the Oteen VA Medical Center in Asheville, North Carolina.

I made a New Year’s resolution to do whatever I could to make a difference in the lives of veterans who were willing to give their life for someone they didn’t know.”

Renée Jones, MAS+

Founder/CEO, A Creative Touch

For more than 40 years, Jones, founder and CEO of A Creative Touch in Wilmington, North Carolina, has been a passionate volunteer for both organizations, leading dozens of projects, such as a military birthday project for her local VA health care system, recruiting sponsors for the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, gathering Christmas ornaments for the USS North Carolina submarine and collecting 1 million pennies that were donated to the DAV Auxiliary Support Program.

Her efforts have won her numerous awards, including DAV Member of the Year and DAV Membership Recruiter of the Year, and she’s been twice honored with the North Carolina Governor’s Award for Volunteerism. In 2002, she was selected by the Olympic Organizing Committee as a torch bearer for the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games, and in 2022, she received the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Volunteer Service Award from President Joe Biden.

Jones has also generously given her time and talents to many other local and national business organizations, including serving on the board of directors for Wilmington Women With A Purpose, Wilmington Central Rotary, Greater Clover South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, the Carolinas Association of Advertising and Marketing Professionals, PPEF and PPAI.

“I would rather volunteer than work,” she says, with a laugh. “In fact, I was only going to do promo for one year until my term as National Commander ended and then I was going to get a real job.”

Her life is a testament to what can happen when passion meets purpose, and her example invites all of us to show up, give back and lead with heart.”

Danny Rosin, CAS

President/Co-Owner, Brand Fuel

In November, she celebrated 24 years in business, adding that she has amazing clients and loves what she does. Finding a balance between running her successful distributorship and volunteering takes practice.

“I just do what I have to do,” she says, often spending early mornings and late evenings catching up on things she can’t get to during the day. She’s also built a team around her that helps make her volunteering possible. “Getting the opportunity to volunteer gives me fire and makes me happy,” she adds.

In nominating Jones for this award, Danny Rosin, CAS, president and co-owner of Brand Fuel, PPAI 100’s No. 29 distributor, and incoming chair of the PPAI Board of Directors, says, “Beyond her professional achievements, Renée’s humanitarian heart shines through decades of volunteerism supporting veterans, children and underserved communities. Her life is a testament to what can happen when passion meets purpose, and her example invites all of us to show up, give back and lead with heart.”