Vern C. Jones, born May 1, 1925 in Minneapolis MN passed away August 26, 2018 at his home in Fair Oaks CA at the age of 93. Son of Cleo V. Jones and Mable Jones (Otteson), Vern grew up in the mid-west and attended high school in Peoria Illinois, where he won the state wrestling championship. Graduating from high school, Vern enlisted in the Navy where he earned his wings as a naval aviator. Following military service and discharge from the Navy in 1946, Vern enrolled at Stanford University where he graduated with a degree in Petroleum Geology. While attending Stanford, Vern added to his wrestling accomplishments, winning three Pacific Coast Conference Championships and winning all of his dual matches over four years, graduating with a record of 47-0. After Stanford, Vern worked in the oil and gas industry as a drilling rig roughneck and eventually a well-site geologist before forming his own well-site geological service company with a partner in 1952, known as Exploration Logging or EXLOG. Initially working in the Sacramento Valley, EXLOG soon began to expand internationally becoming the world's largest well-site geological service company with operations in 26 countries and employing more than 800 professional geologists. In 1972, Vern merged EXLOG into Baker Hughes where he remained CEO until his retirement in 1980 and retiring from the Baker Hughes Board of Directors in 1985. Vern's retirement didn't last long, as in 1980 he and his wife Gloria began pursuing new activities with their son, Derek, and daughter, Sandra, including ventures in the wine business and natural gas exploration including the formation of Vern Jones Oil & Gas. While working exploration projects in multiple states, it was a natural gas field discovery in the Clarksburg area south of Sacramento that lead Vern and his family to their next business venture of developing natural gas pipelines to provide market access or options to exploration companies and natural gas end-use customers in California and later in Nevada. Apparently, not completely satiated with his 28 years as the CEO of EXLOG and 10 years with his own exploration and pipeline development companies, in 1990 Vern started International Logging, Inc. (ILI), to once again provide well-site geological services to the international oilfield industry. Started in Sacramento and Bakersfield in 1990, ILI grew to include nearly 400 geologists and engineers with headquarters in Houston, Texas and eight overseas offices with operations in Southeast Asia, China, Australia, Central and South American and West Africa. In 2006, ILI was sold to the Carlyle/Riverstone group and today is a part of Weatherford. Through the foundation established by over six decades of Vern's leadership, his energy team has worked diligently to establish a strong presence in the energy industry both internationally and throughout Northern California, including the development of the company's Gas Control Center located in the Rancho Cordova headquarters, where operators monitor and control several hundred miles of the company's natural gas pipelines on a 24/7 basis to ensure that the highest standards of operational safety and efficiency are maintained. Vern's love for sports and the outdoors brought him together with Gloria, who he met in the Truckee hospital when both were recovering from broken legs suffered at Squaw Valley. His athletic accomplishments were later recognized by being inducted into both the Stanford University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1998 and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame "Outstanding American" in 2015. He also maintained his passion for aviation after his Navy flying days through the purchase of a twin Cessna 414 in 1972 that was used extensively in his pursuit of enterprises and adventure and is still utilized in the family owned business today. While maintaining a very active business schedule over the years, Vern has also supported and maintained an active role in professional associations and philanthropic endeavors such as the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Independent Petroleum Association of America, California Independent Petroleum Association, and the formation of a Wrestling Endowment at Stanford University, a member of the Hoover Institute and a fifty-plus year supporter of the Crocker Art Museum. Vern had a keen understanding of world affairs and economics through extensive international business dealings and was very well traveled often circumnavigating the world twice a year to visit the company's overseas offices. Vern loved the businesses he helped to develop, but most importantly the people that he employed in those endeavors. Even at 93, he would drive himself to the office almost every day to stay current on the family business developments and other industry related activities, while taking the time to make his rounds around the office to talk to employees about the project they were working on and provide advice as needed. Sixty-eight years of business experience is a powerful resource that few have had the benefit of tapping. Family man, outdoorsman, wrestler, entrepreneur, optimist, and an exceptional work ethic are some of the words that help describe Vern and what he exemplified during his life. A life well lived! Vern is survived by his wife, Gloria of 65 years; his daughter, Sandra; his son, Derek (Erika); and grandchildren, Taylor (22), Griffin (16), and Alexys (14). A celebration of Vern's life is being planned. For further information please contact Kim at
[email protected] or (916) 859-4700. In lieu of flowers, a contribution to support the youth wrestling program at Capital Christian School, 9470 Micron Avenue, Sacramento CA 95827 can be made payable to "CCS, Wrestling" with "Vern C. Jones" noted in the memo line.
Published by The Sacramento Bee from Sep. 1 to Sep. 2, 2018.
