DAFVM Spotlight Employee: Steve Jones
Steve Jones
Steve Jones would have laughed at the idea of being an electronics laboratory manager 20 years ago.
But today, he provides supplies and computer support for 100 sites as the electronics laboratory manager for the Mississippi State University Extension Service. These sites include 82 county offices, four district offices, 14 Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Stations, the Lloyd-Ricks-Watson building on the MSU campus, and three academic departments.
Jones said that he had no idea when he went to talk to the Director of Vo-Tech to finish up his teaching degree that he would stumble onto an amazing opportunity.
“In 1988, I had no idea what a computer was. The director of vo-tech said that his brother-in-law at Computer Services was looking for someone who was good with electronics,” he said. “I happened to be in the right place at the right time. You never know where you are going to end up. Sometimes you just have to take a chance.”
Jones said his favorite part about his job is knowing he helped someone else.
“Knowing that I have done my job correctly and that I have helped someone out in the process is what it is all about for me,” he said. “When someone has zero backup on their computer and I am able to recover that information for them, that not only makes their day but it also makes mine.”
Patience is the key to this job for Jones.
“If you did not have patience before this job, you definitely will after. When I first began this job, things were a lot slower than they are now. I had to wait for a long time for the system to work correctly,” he said. “Also, I learn something new every day. Electronics are constantly changing now. I get to experience something different every day on the job.”
In his spare time, Jones enjoys fishing, volunteer firefighting and spending time with his family. He has a wife, Lisa, and two boys, Colby, 18, and Riley, 14.
Editor's note: The Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine Spotlight Employee profiles are provided by the Office of Agricultural Communications at Mississippi State. For more information, please click here.
