Charles H. Jones

Book excerpt: His drug store on Broadway and Poplar was between two blocks and two universes away from mainstream Macon. He ran it like a carnival, pushing a juke box on to the sidewalk in order to sell his Valentine Day's candy. A half century later, Charles Jones is the ringmaster of a corporation that runs hotels and develops real estate throughout Middle Georgia. Charles Jones: A Biography is the poignant story of a country boy who lost his identity and was challenged to build a reputation for his new one. It is also the story of a quiet leader whose community is still enjoying the efforts of his energy and vision. Even with his success, Jones is hardly a household name. He built Macon's first motel. He brought the Indians home. He soothed race relations. He attracted world class industry to the region. He worked hard to bring his community a medical school and to improve its local college campus. These things he did in an unorthodox style that shoots from the hip and takes few prisoners.. More than the story of a single person, this is the contemporary history of a community and a primer for aspiring leaders who want to understand the thinking of a man who values giving and believes money is not as important as the work that earns it.