The Resource Center’s Denise Jones honored as “Woman of Influence”

Denise Jones’ achievements as the head of one of Western New York’s largest not-for-profit organizations has been recognized by the region’s business community.

Denise, the Chief Executive Officer of The Resource Center, was among 25 people honored at the 2018 Women of Influence awards luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Buffalo. The event, held every year since 2007, is coordinated by Buffalo Business First magazine. A total of 138 nominations were received this year. Eight judges (all past recipients of a Women of Influence award) determined the winners.

Denise was one of five women recognized in the Nonprofit Leadership category. She has worked for The Resource Center since 1990 and has been the CEO since 2015.

“Denise is the person responsible for operations of the region’s fourth-largest nonprofit agency,” Tracey Drury, a Business First reporter who covers nonprofits and health/medical issues, told the luncheon audience. “Her agency has three distinct business lines: services and supports for people with disabilities; a range of health, dental and behavioral health services that are available to the entire community; and a regional manufacturing division that performs subcontracting work for the federal government and local industry.”

Denise Jones holds her Women of Influence award while posing with, from left, Rachel Foley, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Lake Shore Savings, which sponsored the Women of Influence event; Joyce Markiewicz, Executive Vice President of Catholic Health, the other event sponsor; and John Tebeau, Publisher of Buffalo Business First, who was the master of ceremonies.

“Denise and her staff have steered The Resource Center through a time of tremendous transition in the disability services field and amid continual threats to funding. She’s done this while boosting morale through regular visits to the organization’s many locations so she can meet with staff and hundreds of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”

Other factors that led the Women of Influence judges to select Denise for an award included her leadership roles with other organizations. She is the Treasurer of Person Centered Services’ holding company and is a director of the Rotary Club of Jamestown, the Developmental Disabilities Alliance of Western New York and The Collaborative of NY, Inc. She is a past treasurer of the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation and past board member of Girl Scouts of Western New York and Catapultian Advisors.