page_title: Allan Jones (businessman)
section_title: Philanthropy
hierarchical_section_title: Allan Jones (businessman) / Philanthropy
caption_attribution_description: English: Allan Jones Aquatic Center
context_page_description: William Allan Jones Jr. is an American businessman from Cleveland, Tennessee. He is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Check Into Cash, Creditcorp, Jones Management Services, and the Community Financial Services Association, as well as several other local lending agencies. He has been called the "father of the payday loan industry" for founding and building the first major payday loan chain.
context_section_description: Jones has been described as "Cleveland’s most celebrated benefactor."
  In 1990, Jones founded MainStreet Cleveland, dedicated to the revitalization and promotion of Cleveland's historic downtown area and donated the funds for the construction of the Virgil F. Carmichael addition to the Cleveland Public Library. He also wrote and funded Cleveland's Shade Tree Ordinance that helped the city's tree board earn the designation of Tennessee Tree Board of the Year in 2010.  Many of the trees that line the city's streets were donated by his foundation. He donated $4 million to the University of Tennessee at Knoxville for construction of a new Allan Jones Aquatic Center.
  In 2011, Allan Jones contributed to the non-profit organization tnAchieves, enabling it to launch its scholarship and mentoring program in all three Bradley County high schools, ensuring that every graduating senior from Cleveland High School, Walker Valley High School, and Bradley Central High School had the opportunity to attend Cleveland State Community College. In 2015, Jones was awarded the first-ever honorary degree from Cleveland State during its 49th Commencement Ceremony where he was the keynote speaker. A few days later, Jones received the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Philanthropy from the Tennessee Board of Regents.
  In 2012, Jones received the prestigious Fred Gregg Jr. award from the Greater Chattanooga Sports Hall of Fame for significant contributions to sports.
  In 2014, the Jones family gave a donation to Lee University to purchase the old First Baptist Church building in downtown Cleveland and renovate it into a music performance hall. The building was named “Pangle Hall” in honor of Jones' wife Janie Pangle Jones. Lee University President Paul Conn said Pangle Hall was only possible due to this donation.
  In 2017, Jones made national headlines after he donated 43,000 pairs of eclipse-viewing sunglasses to students in six Tennessee school systems. The businessman said the donation was made to ensure students who wanted to view the solar eclipse did so only with safe, NASA-approved glasses.
caption: Allan Jones Aquatic Center
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