Bill Jones was in charge of ticketing as an Ohio State associate athletic director, but he was much more than that to those who worked with him.

Jones, 48, died yesterday in his office of an apparent heart attack.

“Bill was just a very positive person,” Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said. “Everybody who knew him knows how great a person he was. He was genuine. He was kind.

“As a co-worker, he was unbelievable. He just got things done. Everybody just loved him.”

Jones was stricken about 10 a.m. on the 10th floor of the Fawcett Center. He had been in meetings earlier in the morning, and nothing seemed amiss. But then a co-worker found him slumped over his desk.

Smith and others attended to Jones, performing CPR while an emergency medical services unit was summoned. Smith called Jones’ father, former OSU athletic director Jim Jones, to inform him about his son.

“I alerted him and followed the unit to the hospital and met Jim there,” Smith said. “The doctors informed him he’d been lost. It’s just a tough one (to accept).”

After learning of Jones’ death, former OSU football coach Jim Tressel said, “There is no more loyal Buckeye than Bill Jones. It’s a devastating day for the Buckeye Nation.”

Jones, a Columbus native, had worked for the Ohio State athletic department since 1998. He began as assistant director of premium seating before earning a number of promotions. In 2009, Jones was named associate athletic director for external affairs.

“When I came here (in 2005), I elevated him and asked him to take over the ticket office because we made some changes there,” Smith said. “He did such a good job that I promoted him again.”

Smith said that in addition to overseeing the ticket department, Jones raised money, handled football scheduling, chaired the OSU bowl committee, oversaw the university golf courses and managed the school’s $110 million contract with the sports-marketing firm IMG. Jones also served as Smith’s point man regarding the Big Ten’s recent collaboration deal with the Pac-12 Conference.

Smith said Jones was diagnosed with heart arrhythmia in 2010 but said there had been no visible problems since then. At the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla., Jones golfed three times and was scheduled to go on a golfing trip this weekend, Smith said.

“It’s just a total shock,” he said. “He was working out. He seemed to be in good health.”

Jones earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from Ohio State in 1986 and his master’s in sports administration from Ohio University in 1991.

Jones, who was single, is also survived by a sister, Lynnae.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

brabinowitz@dispatch.com

Dispatch reporter Tim May contributed to this story.