He founded Houston Endowment, owned the Houston Chronicle, served three U.S. presidents, built the historic Rice Hotel and carried more weight than just about anyone in the city's history and all of it is chronicled in Stephen Fenberg's biography of Jesse Jones, a sampling of which he presented at the Jung Center annual spring benefit dinner.

Fenberg delighted and enlighted the crowd of close to 400 Jung Center supporters with insights from his new book, Unprecendented Power: Jesse Jones, Capitalism, and the Common Good.

The dinner was chaired by Jones' great-nephew Jay Jones (Jesse H. Jones II) and Terry Wayne Jones, no relation. Serving as co-chairs for the evening that raised $170,000 for Jung Center programs were Lynn Baird and Debby Francis.

Jim Reeder, honored for his public service, moved the gathering by sharing with those in attendance at River Oaks Country Club the passing of his father, Jim Reeder Sr., that occurred only two days prior. Reeder praised the Jung Center as it "supports us, heals us, encourages us and makes us better . . . just like my parents."

The sophisticated assembly included Lise Lidell (her father was one of Jones' attorneys), Carolyn and Platt Davis, Janet and Fred Heyne III (his grandfather ran Jones' business), Susan and Richard Keeton (Jones descendants), Emily and Holcombe Crosswell, Clayton and Shel Erikson, Jung Center Founder Carolyn Grand Fay, Marie Evnochides, Tricia and Gov. David Dewhurst, Gary Tinterow and Christopher Gardner.