Scholarship honors Max Jones Jr.

The dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Nevada, Reno, Monday announced a new scholarship endowment in renewable energy in honor of alumni Max LaMar Jones Jr.

"Thanks to the generosity of the Sierra Pacific Resources Foundation, Jim Gardner and the Kessig family, we will be able to award some engineering students thousands of dollars in scholarship monies," Dean Ted Batchman said. "Max is credited with obtaining funding more than 20 years ago and implementing conservation applications that today save the university a great deal of money in utility costs."

Jones graduated from UNR in 1960 with a degree in electrical engineering and he is the inaugural recipient of the Distinguished Nevada Engineer Award. He created a number of conservation programs in renewable energy for Sierra Pacific Power Company for 31 years and ultimately served as senior vice president. Following his work there, he was a private consultant in the energy field at his company, EnergySource, LLC, for 12 years.

Recipients of the scholarship endowment in renewable energy will be juniors or seniors pursuing a degree in either mechanical or electrical engineering at the university.

"We are grateful for the leadership, service and ethics exhibited by one of Nevada's true pioneers," Batchman said. "His reputation continues to bring honor to the College of Engineering."

Originally from Utah, Jones attended Douglas High School where he graduated in 1955. He is married to the former Honor Settelmeyer and they live in Gardnerville.