Connie Jones said she "started out young" - working, getting an education, raising a family.
Right out of college, she worked at American Mutual Insurance, then Bradford National Life Insurance.
She owned The Body Slimmer Health Club, then spent 19 years at what was then Bell South, pioneering the introduction of cell phones in the Nashville area.
Today, Jones works full time as co-chair, with her husband, Tom, of Keeneland's
Concours d'Elegance, an annual four-day classic car exposition that benefits the University of Kentucky Children's Hospital.
According to Jones, the challenge in this non-profit work is always keeping the program fresh and exciting and making sure there are enough volunteers.
"Concours always brings together a collection of the finest automobiles and motorcycles to the Bluegrass," Jones said. This year, the program, which takes place at Keeneland in July, will also feature wooden boats.
The Concours events include a bourbon tour, a black-tie "Venetian Masquerade Ball," Hangar Bash, and the Tour d'Elegance, which is a ride in one of the Alfa Romeos, Corvettes, Ferraris, Maseratis or Porsches on site.
"People come from all over the country to this event, wanting to show off their cars and see all the others," said Jones, who works with hundreds of volunteers to make the event a success each year.
"Working with volunteers is a wonderful but demanding job.
You have to hope that volunteers have the same passion as you do for the event; you need to motivate and encourage and recognize them, and hope they'll have fun at the same time."
This is the event's seventh year, which has raised over $400,000 for the hospital.
Jones' thoughts about leadership in the non-profit sector include having vision and getting your hands dirty.
"I won't ask someone to do something I wouldn't do.
It's important to lead by example, and I hope that's what I do," she said. "I believe that as long as what we do makes a positive difference in the community, it's worth doing what it takes to get the job done."
Jones considers herself privileged to work with so many women and men who devote themselves to the Concours.
When she's not working on the July event, she enjoys gardening and tennis and working on the cars that she and her husband own.
"People don't believe me when I say I'm under the hood, but it's true," she said.
She plays tennis every weekend and laughs at her coach's advice.
"He's always telling me to regroup," she said.