Jones Returns to Bison Hill as HR Director

OBU recently welcomed Steven Jones as human resources director. He assumed his duties Jan. 25.

Jones earned a Bachelor of Music Education with an emphasis in vocal music education from OBU in 2000. In 2019, he earned an MBA from Purdue University and in 2020 he earned an MBA from TIAS School of Business and Society in the Netherlands. Both degrees were part of a joint Global Executive International Masters in Management program through the Krannert School of Management at Purdue. As part of the program, he was able to take courses and visit companies around the globe before the global response to COVID-19 reduced the ease of international travel.

As an OBU student, he was a member of the Bison Glee Club, the Baptist Church Music Conference and College Players. Following graduation, he taught middle school choir, high school music and art history, as well as elementary music in Oklahoma City and surrounding areas. During summer months, he worked at Falls Creek on the ropes course staff. 

His work at Falls Creek opened the door to start a staffing program with a Christian camp and conference center in the Pacific northwest. Focusing his energy on staff and employee operations, he accepted an internship in human resources with Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington, then led operations for a start-up design-build firm in the Seattle area. In 2012, he entered the world of technology professional services in the Microsoft partner ecosystem delivering international program management for multiple firms.

Leveraging his experience in recruiting, workforce design and human resource management, he then led human resources with Moxie Software, an international technology product company headquartered in San Bruno, California. In 2018, he accepted a strategic human resources business partner role with Zones, LLC, a $2 billion technology solutions company with 2,800 employees in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., India and Pakistan. 

Jones is returning to Oklahoma with his wife of 10 years, Randi, a native of Norman, Oklahoma, and their three children, who are all under the age of 10. Randi is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a degree in early childhood education and has completed work toward a master’s degree in children at risk from Western Seminary. Before becoming a full-time stay-at-home mom, she worked as an early childhood interventionist with Childhaven in Seattle.

Jones is excited to return home to Bison Hill to serve as director of human resources and looks forward to making a positive impact within the OBU community. He views his role as HR director as a way to leverage his varied experience to drive excellence in the programs and services that support OBU’s people and strategic goals.

“I am grateful to invest my experience and training back into Oklahoma Baptist University. Much of the framework for how I approach life, learning and problem solving was formed here as an undergraduate. Additionally, I am hopeful that this season in the life of OBU will continue to be deeply enriching to students and to OBU’s community. I look forward to partnering with the staff and faculty of OBU to cultivate excellence in people operations so that OBU’s students and community pursue academic excellence, integrate faith with all areas of knowledge, engage a diverse world and live worthy of the calling of God in Christ.”

Randy Smith, executive vice president for business and administrative services, is grateful to welcome Jones to OBU.

“I’m delighted that Steven Jones has joined OBU as our director of human resources. As an OBU graduate, Steven brings critical thinking skills he has honed in a variety of HR projects that will move us forward with several process improvement projects which will bring added value to current and new employees.”