Chris Jones is a business consultant with the UGA Small Business Development Center at Valdosta State University. He joined the Valdosta team in 2025, bringing with him over a decade of experience as a small business owner, specializing in regulated industries and small-scale manufacturing. He founded Georgia Beer Company, South Georgia's first brewery and an anchor business in downtown Valdosta.

Chris actively contributes to his local community, serving in leadership roles on several prominent boards and committees. Additionally, Chris is a Chief Warrant Officer in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve, with over twenty years of highly decorated service.