If Tina Jones wants to celebrate being named to the Order of Canada, she has plenty of bubbly as the owner of Jones and Company Wine Merchants.
But it’s her contributions to health care in Manitoba as longtime chairwoman of the Health Sciences Centre Foundation that earned her the prestigious award.
“How incredible!” said Jones, who was among 83 new appointments announced by Gov. Gen Mary Simon Thursday morning.
RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS
Tina Jones was among 83 new appointments announced by Gov. Gen Mary Simon Thursday morning.
“I am completely floored. I was so shocked. I never started volunteering or giving back to get an award like this. I guess when you’re doing good things, good things come to you.”
When she was asked to join the board of the HSC Foundation more than a decade ago, Jones said she “didn’t know anything” about what she was getting into.
“I’ve been successful in business and with it I could give my time and not just resources.”
Jones — and the HSC Foundation — have done well since she took over as chairwoman of the foundation in June 2015.
Under her leadership, the foundation has raised more than $168 million for health-care projects, including $10.2 million for the Paul Albrechtsen Interventional Radiology Suites and $3.3 million for the Wilf Taillieu Thoracic Surgery Clinic and Endoscopy Unit.
There was also the purchase of the Manitoba Clinic and the $100 million-plus Operation Excellence campaign.
“She is so deserving of this recognition,” said Jonathon Lyon, the foundation’s president and chief executive officer. “She is an incredibly powerful leader and she has been a great supporter of our foundation. We are so proud of her.”
Jones, who was born in Virden, is the daughter of Louie Tolaini, who built TransX into the country’s largest privately held transportation company until it was sold to CN Rail in 2018.
Jones went to the University of Manitoba, then worked at her dad’s company for a few years before opening one of the first wine stores in 1999. She has since become a partner of the Rink Training Centre, dubbed a “fully integrated hockey training facility”.
Jones is married and has two grown children.
She joined the HSC Foundation in 2013 and rose to chairwoman two years later.
Besides the Order of Canada, Jones has received the Order of Manitoba, the University of Manitoba’s distinguished alumni award, and was named a recipient of a Nellie McClung Manitoba 150 Women Trailblazer award.
Jones said the foundation is attracting and retaining doctors and specialists for Manitoba through equipment and programs the foundation funds.
“All of the provinces are looking for new doctors,” she said. “Why are people from Vancouver and Toronto coming to Winnipeg? It’s because of the innovation and vision of the HSC. When we can bring it here we help all of Manitoba.”
Jones, who said she will step down as chair next year after a decade at the helm, looks forward to what her successor will accomplish.
“These are big dollar numbers and the people after me will have the opportunity to continue,” she said.
kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
Kevin Rollason
Reporter
Kevin Rollason is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He graduated from Western University with a Masters of Journalism in 1985 and worked at the Winnipeg Sun until 1988, when he joined the Free Press. He has served as the Free Press’s city hall and law courts reporter and has won several awards, including a National Newspaper Award. Read more about Kevin.
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