The past year was full of high points for Paul Jones, both at his day job with A.O. Smith Corp. and in the multitude of volunteer work he performs, such as his role as co-chairman of The Water Council.
Jones, The Business Journal’s Executive of the Year, is profiled in the Dec. 13 issue of the paper.
Jones this week capped off that year by announcing his retirement from the post of executive chairman of Milwaukee-based A.O. Smith, where he has worked since 2004. The company, which primarily manufactures water heating equipment and boilers, reported earnings of $46.2 million for the third quarter of this year, compared with $37 million for the same three months of 2012. Jones said innovation has always been a hallmark of the company. Ernst & Young recognized his role in that innovation by naming Jones its national Entrepreneur of the Year winner in the distribution and manufacturing category.