Forty Under 40: Neile Jones

Neile Jones, 35, did her first television reporting job when she was only 13. Her father came to her and said, “I want you to turn a package on your sister.” Jones had been bugging her dad, a well known broadcaster, about learning the ropes and since her sister was turning sweet 16, Jones obliged.

The Little Rock native grew up in Tulsa and graduated with her bachelor’s in broadcast journalism from the University of Oklahoma in 1997. Right out of school, she landed a job in Fort Smith with KPOM/KFAA-TV, Channels 24/51, which was then owned by Griffin Holdings Co.

In 2000, the company launched its full-fledged newscast and she was promoted to weekend anchor — a job that frequently entailed reporting, producing and a little bit of everything else.

In 2004, Nexstar Broadcasting Group purchased the stations and redubbed Channel 51 as KNWA-TV. Jones also did a stint as the morning anchor and was promoted to the evening slot in January 2005.

But she’s not satisfied by being one of the most recognized faces in Northwest Arkansas. Jones has a a dual master’s degree in both human resources/development and management from Webster University. She also sits on various boards and works with many nonprofit organizations, notably the Susan G. Koman Foundation and Helping Oncology Patients Excel Inc.