DRIVE Electric Tucson Welcomes Scott Jones as Chapter Leader
DRIVE Electric Arizona is pleased to announce Scott Jones as Chapter Leader of DRIVE Electric Tucson, bringing a remarkable depth of EV experience, professional leadership skills and enthusiasm to our work throughout Tucson and Southern Arizona.
Scott is about as passionate an EV enthusiast as you will find.
Over the years, he has helped numerous friends and family members find the electric vehicle that best fits their lifestyles. That interest eventually led him to launch Jones EV Consulting, a small consulting business with a similar mission: helping people determine whether an EV is right for them and, if so, which type of vehicle best meets their needs.
When Peter Culin and John Martinson invited Scott to lead DRIVE Electric Tucson, however, they were looking for more than someone who knows electric vehicles.
They wanted someone willing to take ownership of the chapter, bring people together, develop relationships throughout Southern Arizona and build an organization that reflects Tucson's unique character.
Scott's response told them a lot about the kind of Chapter Leader he intends to be:
“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve my community and bring fresh ideas, perspective, and energy to the region. I don't take this challenge lightly and will do my level best to mold the chapter to match Tucson and Southern Arizona's unique vibe.”
Or, as Scott put it more simply:
“Growing this community the Tucson way!”
He Knows EVs Because He's Lived With Them
Scott's EV knowledge isn't theoretical.
His personal EV journey has included an unusually diverse collection of battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles:
That's ten electrified vehicles representing different manufacturers, technologies, price points, ranges and approaches to electric transportation.
That experience matters.
One of the principles behind DRIVE Electric Arizona's educational programs is that there is no single EV that's right for everyone. A commuter, a family, a retiree, a rural driver and someone who regularly travels long distances may all have very different requirements.
Scott understands that firsthand.
His instinct isn't simply to tell someone to buy an EV. It's to help people understand the technology and determine what works for their lifestyle.
That philosophy fits naturally with DRIVE Electric Arizona's educational mission and our Ride & Drive approach: give people good information, let them talk with experienced EV owners, let them experience the vehicles and allow them to make their own decisions.
Leadership Beyond Electric Vehicles
Scott also brings another set of skills to the chapter.
Professionally, he works in the cybersecurity industry, where he has experience building and leading sales teams and regularly speaks at conferences and events.
That background has taught him how to communicate complex subjects, build teams, develop relationships with vendors and industry leaders, and—perhaps most importantly—connect with people.
Those skills will be invaluable as DRIVE Electric Tucson develops relationships with EV owners, utilities, dealerships, OEMs, businesses, universities, municipalities, tourism organizations and other community stakeholders.
A successful DRIVE Electric Arizona Chapter Leader doesn't need to know everything or do everything personally.
The job is to bring the right people together and help them accomplish something collectively.
Scott has spent much of his professional career doing exactly that.
Community Service Comes First
Scott's professional EV interests also gave us an opportunity to address an important subject from the beginning.
Because he operates Jones EV Consulting, we discussed DRIVE Electric Arizona's conflict-of-interest expectations before he accepted the position.
Scott went considerably further than we asked.
He has chosen to pause new business development and sales efforts for Jones EV Consulting while serving in this leadership role. His website and professional presence will remain active, and his free EV Fit questionnaire may continue to serve as an educational resource for people trying to determine whether an EV fits their lifestyle.
Scott explained his decision this way:
“The calling to serve the community is higher than the few dollars I might make through my side-hustle.”
He has also committed to communicating openly with DRIVE Electric Arizona leadership should any potential conflict arise.
We appreciate that commitment.
DRIVE Electric Arizona welcomes leaders who have professional experience in electric transportation and related industries. That expertise makes us better. Our responsibility is simply to maintain transparency and ensure that our nonprofit mission always comes first.
A Tucson Chapter That Feels Like Tucson
Perhaps the thing we're most excited about is Scott's determination to make DRIVE Electric Tucson genuinely local.
DRIVE Electric Arizona will provide the statewide framework, branding, communications, event resources, fundraising support, partnerships and collective experience of our statewide organization.
But we don't want every chapter to look the same.
Tucson should be Tucson.
Scott will have considerable latitude to build a local leadership team, recruit volunteers, establish regional priorities and develop partnerships that make sense for Southern Arizona.
Activities can include Ride & Drives, EV showcases, rallies, educational programs, charging-infrastructure initiatives and community partnerships.
Scott will also represent the Tucson perspective in DRIVE Electric Arizona's broader statewide discussions.
Collaboration, Not Competition
Scott demonstrated another important leadership quality before he had even officially started.
He asked about our relationship with the Tucson Electric Vehicle Association (TEVA) and made it clear that he wants to understand the work already being done in Southern Arizona, build positive relationships and avoid unnecessarily duplicating efforts or stepping on anyone's toes.
We couldn't agree more.
DRIVE Electric Tucson isn't being built to compete with existing EV organizations. We want to work with them.
There is plenty to accomplish—from consumer education and Ride & Drives to charging infrastructure, rural outreach and community engagement. When organizations share common objectives, collaboration can multiply everyone's impact.
“Great Things Can Happen”
Scott said something else in accepting the position that captures much of what has made DRIVE Electric Arizona successful:
“I believe great things can happen when great minds come together.”
That's exactly what we're trying to do.
DRIVE Electric Arizona has grown through people willing to share their vehicles, professional expertise, relationships, time and enthusiasm with their communities.
Now Scott gets to build that community in Tucson.
He admits that taking on the responsibility leaves him “excited (and a little scared).”
That's probably a pretty good place to start.
Scott won't be doing it alone. Our statewide leadership, our other Chapter Leaders and our growing network of volunteers will be there to help.
But DRIVE Electric Tucson will ultimately become what Scott and the people of Southern Arizona make it.
Please join us in welcoming Scott Jones as Chapter Leader of DRIVE Electric Tucson.
We are delighted to have him on the DRIVE Electric Arizona leadership team, and we're looking forward to seeing Scott and his volunteers build something distinctly their own—growing the EV community the Tucson way.