His ability to view problems from a broad perspective, and develop larger solutions, as opposed to incremental changes, has helped define Roger Jones’ success in the wood products industry.

The vice president of Global Logistics for Hickory, NC-based Century Furniture, Jones first became involved in woodworking as a teenager. He has spent most of his professional career working for the Shuford family at Century.

“Earlier in my career I was heavily involved with factory operations and enjoyed the changes that were coming to our factories in the form of CNC machinery, then the push to CAD, CAM and 3D Solids,” he says. Century was an early adopter of these technologies, and Jones and the company soon turned their attention to ERP implementation and the development of a sourcing infrastructure.

“These varied responsibilities have helped me stay engaged, learning and productive over the years. Having a curious mind and seeing things from a strategic perspective has been helpful to me,” Jones adds.

The desire to learn led Jones back to school midway in his career, to earn an MBA from Wake Forest University. “It was a career and life altering event and several things changed as a result,” he says. “We developed and launched CenturySuppliernet.com, our supplier website, began doing more international work, launched our Destinations product line, understood and became more involved with sustainability, and more recently developed the infrastructure to support our implementation of the Lacey Act.”

In addition to its environmental policies, Century Furniture also has in place initiatives to improve efficiencies, grow market share and address the domestic and international distribution of its products. “We are a high-end furniture company and intend to remain focused on serving the needs of the high end furniture customer,” Jones says. “We are committed to being a U.S. manufacturer with global reach in both sourcing and distribution.”

Jones has shared information on Century’s responsible purchasing and sustainability policy at seminars, including last year’s Dollars & Sense of Going Green. In his spare time, he enjoys relaxing with his family and reading.

Quick Glimpse

• Education: FMM Degree from North Carolina State University, MBA from Wake Forest University
•  Years at the company: 33 
•  Years in the industry: 35+ 
•  Words that best describe you: A thinker and innovative user of technology 
•  The best advice received: Enjoy and make the most of today. 
•  The person you have tried to emulate in business and why: Our chairman, Harley “Buck” Shuford Jr. I worked with him during my formative years and was impressed by his integrity, strategic thinking and willingness to listen and consider other views.