Emory Williams

Emory Williams, Sr (born October 26, 1911) is an American businessman and former chairman and chief executive officer of the Sears Bank & Trust Company. At Sears Roebuck Williams headed the company's Brazilian operations before moving to the headquarters in Chicago, Illinois in 1960 to take up the organization of Homart, a real estate development company.

Career

Williams was the first President of Homart Development Company (a Sears Roebuck and Co. subsidiary). Williams soon became, at the same time, Vice President, Treasurer and later Chief Financial Officer of Sears Roebuck and Co. In 1975, following retirement from Sears Roebuck, he became Chairman of the Sears Bank & Trust (later acquired by Old Kent Bank) and directed its transition from a west side neighborhood bank to a downtown Chicago banking institution. Williams then became Chairman and President of the Chicago Milwaukee Corp., a railroad and real estate holding company, from which he retired in 1983.

Williams has served as a Director of the following New York Stock Exchange companies:

• Armstrong Rubber Co. (acquired by Mark IV Industries)^[1]
• Roper Corporation (acquired by General Electric Co.)^[2]
• General Portland Cement Co. (acquired by Lafarge)^[3]
• V.S.I. Corporation
• Ft. Dearborn Income Securities (NYSE: FDI)
• Chicago Milwaukee Corp. (acquired by Canadian National Railway)^[4]
• Foote, Cone, Belding Communications, Inc. (acquired by Interpublic Cos.)^[5]
• Bobbie Brooks, Inc.

Williams has served as the President of the Chicago Crusade of Mercy (United Way), President and Life Trustee of the Adler Planetarium,^[6] President and Life Trustee of the Ravinia Festival Association,^[7] President of the Chicago Community Fund, Chairman of the Illinois Health Education Commission, Chairman-Finance of the Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Trustee of the Charles W. Kellstadt Foundation and as a Life Trustee of Emory University.^[8] He established the Emory Williams Awards for Excellence in Teaching at Emory University^[9] and at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.

Personal

Williams was born in Falco, Alabama, and grew up in Quitman, Mississippi. He was a member of the graduating class of 1932 from Emory University, where there is now a teaching award for academic excellence that bears his name.^[9] During World War II, Williams was primarily based in the South-East Asian theatre of World War II, working with Lord Mountbatten.

Williams currently lives with his wife of over 67 years, Janet Williams, in Wilmette, Illinois and winters in Loblolly Bay, a private club in Hobe Sound, Florida. The youngest of his five children, Emory Williams, Jr., has lived and worked in China since the 1990s and is a member of Young Presidents' Organization and has also chaired the American Chamber of Commerce in China.^[10] His grandchildren include Olympic oarsman Jamie Schroeder.^[11] He turned 100 in 2011.^[12]

References