Ray E. Jones

Ray Jones has spent most of his career at Parker Poe, joining the law firm in 1999 and ascending to the roles of partner and Columbia Office Development Partner. In these roles, Jones provides advice and counsel to clients in matters related to public finance, local taxation, financing of affordable housing, and economic development. Clients include cities, counties, school districts, hospitals, financial institutions, corporations, and public housing authorities. Jones, who holds an MBA from the Darla Moore School of Business and his Juris Doctor from University of South Carolina School of Law, has worked on billions of dollars’ worth of transactions across the Southeast. He has served on the boards of the South Carolina Economic Developers Association and First Community Bank and as board chair of the Baptist Foundation of South Carolina, Saluda Shoals Foundation, and March of Dimes South Carolina Chapter. Asked about a Midlands partnership he helped to drive during 2025, Jones answered, “The Columba Area Development Partnership (CADP) began operations on July 1, 2025. The CADP is the fulfillment of Richland County's long-term vision to modernize our region's approach to economic development and engage the private sector. We were part of the team that established the CADP and we continue to work with the CADP Board, which is comprised of representatives from the private sector, local government and higher education.”