BOISE, Idaho -- Charley Jones, owner of the Stinker Stores 64-location convenience store chain, has been named one of six nominees for Idaho's 2014 CEO of Influence Award.
The award included criteria for leadership, community involvement and success in the space within which the company operates. Jones had the support from Idaho business leaders, employees and a number of statewide nonprofits that benefit from Stinker Stores community involvement.
The 12-year turnaround of Stinker Stores is a moving story about one of the industry's strongest leaders.
Jones was raised in Boise and graduated with honors from the University of Idaho in 1974, earning a B.S. Business degree in accounting. Following graduation, he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the U. S. Army Reserve where he completed his ROTC service commitment as a citizen soldier over the next six years.
Jones is a CPA and began his business career in Boise working for the public accounting firm that is now Deloitte & Touche. His varied work experience includes finance, accounting and leadership roles in the construction, hi-tech manufacturing and wholesale distribution industries. He was president of Idaho's largest Anheuser-Busch beer distributorship prior to purchasing Stinker Stores with a partner in 2002.
Founded by Farris Lind in 1936, Stinker Stores is an iconic Idaho company with a hard-to-forget name. Lind was an Idaho entrepreneur who chose a skunk with a red nose and boxing gloves as his company mascot and corporate symbol. Under Jones' leadership, Stinker Stores survived the financial challenges which led to the founding family's sale of the business in 2002 and the recession of 2008-2009.
Boise, Idaho-based Stinker Stores is now a thriving Idaho business employing more than 525 people in 64 retail outlets throughout the state.
Click here to read Jones' complete story.
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