Jones, William M.

ENCAENIA, MAY, 2017
WILLIAM M. JONES
to be Doctor of Science

Businessman, engineer, volunteer and philanthropist -- William Jones is all of these.

Bill Jones grew up in Apohaqui, New Brunswick, and earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree at UNB, and later a Master’s in Business Administration degree from the University of Toronto.

His business ventures are too many to recite, but they range from automotive to woodlots, from dulse and seafood harvesting, and more. Currently, he is president and owner of Maple Leaf Homes based in Fredericton and is owner and operator of several sustainable woodlots in Kings County, New Brunswick.

An advocate for protecting New Brunswick’s natural habitat, Bill Jones has long supported conservation in the province.  He served on the Premier’s Round Table on Environment and the Economy and was involved in the Provincial Government’s Protected Natural Areas program.  

In his volunteer capacity, he has worked with the Nature Conservancy of Canada since the early 1990s, serving on the national board of directors and several committees.

His leadership was the catalyst for the establishment of the NCC’s Atlantic Region office in 1998. As founding chair, he was instrumental in securing funding from the province’s Environmental Trust Fund. He was also instrumental in helping establish the Musquash Estuary Natural Area, just outside Saint John as a protected area.

According to one of his supporters for this honorary degree, Bill Jones worked tirelessly for years to convince the owners of a large parcel of land to donate the property to the NCC to expand the estuary’s protected area in 2007. Similarly, his persuasive powers led to the donation of land in Barachois on the Northumberland Strait, where he sometimes visits with his grandchildren, educating them about the local plants and animals.  

In addition, Bill Jones has been a long-time supporter of the Nature Trust of New Brunswick. In 2016, he received the Lieutenant-Governor’s Award for Excellence in Land Conservation.

He has also been an active and dedicated supporter of the Fredericton YMCA for more than 40 years, serving on its board of directors, as vice-president, president and past president.  

In the 1980s, he took on a wide range of roles at the national, as well as the local level. Recognizing the need for sustainable funding for the Y, he participated in the creation of the Fredericton YMCA Endowment Fund and became its first president. He remains an active board member today and in 2013, he was awarded the YMCA Fellowship of Honour.

Bill Jones is a firm believer in the value of partnerships, working with people and giving at least 100 per cent. His connection to rural New Brunswick is deeply felt and perhaps explains why he has committed himself to these particular endeavours in business, conservation and healthy living.

UNB is pleased to award William Jones the honorary degree of Doctor of Science.