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Sam A. Williams  Trustee235 Andrew Young International Blvd. NW Atlanta, Georgia 30303 404.586.8489 samwilliams@macoc.com Sam A. Williams was named president of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce in 1997. His first priority was to develop a post-Olympic agenda for the region. Williams assembled the best business and civic minds in metro Atlanta, creating a team that determined the chamber's priorities: quality jobs, quality of life, balanced growth and service to members. After studying the issues associated with creating a strong economy, Williams focused the chamber's economic development initiatives on creating quality jobs in the technology sector. The chamber launched the "Industries of the Mind" campaign to grow and retain high-tech workers and businesses. The campaign successfully recruited 85 companies to the metro area and created more than 10,000 new technology jobs. Williams oversees the chamber's efforts to attract business in key industry sectors, including biosciences, logistics and telecommunications. He spearheaded the formation of the chamber's industry-specific task forces of community and business leaders that provide recommendations on marketing metro Atlanta as a top relocation site for companies. Williams has successfully identified improvements for the area's transportation system, public education, and air and water quality. Under his leadership in 1998, a region-wide task force of business, academic and environmental leaders organized to propose a regional approach to transportation planning and management. As a result, the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority was created. In 2000, Williams led the chamber in forming the Clean Water Initiative, a task force of regional leaders committed to developing a regional plan for coordinating water resources. The task force's recommendations led to the creation of the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District - the first of its kind in the country - to coordinate the water resources of the 16 county region. Under Williams' leadership the chamber was instrumental in the creation of the Clean Air Campaign, a public/private partnership responsible for administering federal funds to educate the public on air quality issues. Prior to joining the chamber, Williams was President of Central Atlanta Progress (CAP) where he organized downtown leaders to create a privatized police force, cutting crime in half and leading to resurgence in downtown residential living. During his presidency, 1,000 new loft apartments were built in the city's heart and a long-range plan was created for redevelopment around Centennial Olympic Park. For 21 years, Williams was a partner with John Portman in all aspects of real estate development in the U.S., Middle East and Asia. During that time, he was President of the Merchandise Mart complex, oversaw Peachtree Center's office building expansion and was named Chief Operating Officer of the parent organization The Portman Companies. Working with more than 30 banks and law firms, Williams led the business team to restructure Portman's $2 billion capitalization completed in 1994. He left private real estate for civic leadership in order to help make a difference in metro Atlanta's future. Williams' civic career began in 1967 when he served on the staff of Mayor Ivan Allen. Since then, he has chaired and been a member of numerous boards and organizations including: the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau; the Jekyll Island Authority; founding chairman of the Atlanta World Trade Club; member of the Carter Center Board of Councilors; the National Council on Philanthropy; the Action Forum, a biracial committee of top-level CEO's who foster racial cooperation in Atlanta; the Emory University Board of Visitors; the Georgia Tech Board of Advisors; and the Corporation for Olympic Development in Atlanta. Williams is a graduate of Georgia Tech and Harvard Business School and is a native of Tennessee. He has two daughters: Stephanie, a graduate of Colgate University, and Lindsay, a graduate of Washington & Lee University. |
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