SIERRA VISTA — Ken Jones, the founder of Cochise College’s Center for Economic Research, died Wednesday. He was 50.

Ken Jones.

People who knew Jones remembered him for his contributions to the community and the college, as a “pioneer in rural economic research,” and for his friendship and good-natured spirit.

His health really robbed us of  someone who was energetic and had a lot of love for life,” said Karen Nicodemus, the college’s president who became friends with Jones in the 1990s.

Jones stepped down from his role with the college and as the director of the Center for Economic Research in 2005. He did so due to health problems.

Nicodemus said it was Jones’ vision and determination that created the center in 1995. Jones wanted a center that had objectivity and provided economic data throughout the county.

And, she said, he had “tremendous courage” and loved his work, which kept him focused on that vision despite losing his sight, being in a wheelchair and suffering from other health issues.

Nicodemus said the college may not have fully appreciated that vision at first, but Jones’ efforts were convincing.

The center provides economic information and forecasts to community leaders and the public throughout the county. It has Economic Outlook events in Douglas, Sierra Vista, Bisbee and Benson, and releases annual publications for each of the cities. The event in Sierra Vista usually draws about 400 people and is seen as a key community event during the year.

The Arizona Department of Economic Security recognized the center as a state data center for business and industry in February 1996. The center also is one of two centers at a community college in the United States that holds a membership in the Association for University Business and Economic Research, a designation it received in 2002.

The center’s directors also have written columns that have been published in the Herald/Review and other newspapers in the county, and the center’s staff has done surveys and other projects.

Nicodemus said the center being a well-respected hub for economic information is a source of pride for the college and brings validity of Jones’ work. She said Jones made the center so it could be sustained beyond him being the director.

But Jones was never one to talk too much about his own successes. “Ken was such a humble man,” she said.

The center’s current director, Robert Carreria, worked for Jones and was the center’s first economic analyst.

“Ken was a pioneer in rural economic research, bringing to Cochise County a multitude of research services that simply did not exist elsewhere, outside the nation’s major metropolitan areas,” he said. “Rural areas of Arizona, and across the nation, struggle to achieve and maintain a standard of living above the poverty level, and achieve the economic growth necessary to ensure a high quality of life for community residents.”

Carreira said a challenge in rural areas is the lack of basic economic data to help inform decision makers.

“By establishing the Center for Economic Research at Cochise College, Ken led the way in making economic data available to decision makers,” Carreira added. “This, without a doubt, helped bring jobs and competitive wages to the county, propelling our economy ahead of other rural Arizona counties and other rural areas across the nation. There is no doubt that Ken’s contributions improved the quality of life of an untold number of Cochise County residents, including many of whom he had never met.”

Beyond the center, Jones also was remembered as a friend and teacher.

“I don’t think he ever stopped teaching,” Nicodemus said.

Jones, who was originally from Iowa and moved to Sierra Vista in 1992, taught business courses when he first came to Cochise College. He also taught for a time at the University of Arizona branch in Sierra Vista in the 1990s.

Nicodemus remembered her friend as being “extremely bright” and working to find ways to engage students. He also had a humorous side, which Nicodemus remembered coming out in the 2003 economic forum as he traded barbs with Gov. Janet Napolitano, who was a guest.

Sierra Vista Mayor Bob Strain, too, remembered Jones.

“The community has lost a loyal friend,” said Strain, who was once a member of the economic advisory committee Jones established in Sierra Vista. “Ken and Jane (the mayor’s wife) and I go back to his arrival in Sierra Vista, and like many others, we have enjoyed a rich and close relationship. Ken’s contributions are many and lasting. Our prayers for comfort go to Ken’s family and to his many friends.”

Marie Hansen, the city’s public information officer, also was a member of the economic advisory committee when Jones was director.

“Ken was one of the smartest and bravest people I’ve ever known,” she said. “He struggled for years to keep working in spite of the ravages diabetes had on his body. Even after he lost his sight and was confined to a wheelchair, he kept working. He told me once that a ‘Good day is any day you’re well enough to go to work.’ That was Ken.”

No services are planned.

Anyone wanting to remember Ken Jones can do so through a donation to the Ken Jones Fund, which was established a couple of years ago at Cochise College. To donate, send a check to the Cochise College Foundation at 4190 Highway 80, Douglas AZ 85607, or contact Denise Merkel, the interim director of community outreach, at 417-4148.

For more on the Cochise College Center for Economic Reserach, visit www.cochise.edu/cer.