John Williams Jr. (university president)
John I. Williams Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1954 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Academic administrator, business executive |
| Known for | 12th president of Muhlenberg College; co-founder and president of the Celeritas Center for Intercultural Equity |
John I. Williams Jr. served as the 12th president of Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania and holds the distinction of being the first African American to lead a college affiliated with Lutheran tradition.
He is currently the co-founder and president of the Celeritas Center for Intercultural Equity, a nonprofit organization based in Boston dedicated to expanding educational and professional pathways for Black, Latinx, and other underrepresented minority students.
Williams’ professional journey began as the inaugural African American employee at Bain & Company, a worldwide management consulting firm. During his tenure at American Express under CEO Kenneth Chenault, he occupied various executive positions including senior vice president of strategic planning, vice president overseeing the U.S. Platinum Card, and general manager of the Consumer Travel Network.
Prior to leading Muhlenberg College, Williams was chief executive officer at Biztravel.com and Sentient Jet. He also directed consulting operations at Eduventures and was a partner specializing in higher education at The Bridgespan Group, a nonprofit offshoot of Bain. Between 2010 and 2015, he held the role of Expert-in-Residence at Harvard University’s Innovation Lab.
College presidency
On July 1, 2015, Williams took office as president of Muhlenberg College. His initiatives included launching a Sustainability Strategic Plan aimed at formalizing sustainable energy practices and developing an online mentoring platform that connected students with alumni and parents through shared interests. His administration was marked by the creation of a comprehensive strategic plan, a refreshed visual brand identity, a new campus master plan, and vigorous execution of a diversity strategic framework.
Williams stepped down in 2019 after a four-year tenure and was succeeded by Kathleen E. Harring.
Personal
Born in 1954 in New York City and raised in suburban Westbury, New York, Williams graduated cum laude from Kent School in Kent, Connecticut. He earned a magna cum laude BA in economics from Amherst College, followed by a JD from Harvard Law School and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Since 1984, he has been a member of Amherst College’s board of trustees and has held the title of Life Trustee since 1996. Additionally, Williams serves as trustee for Kent School and the Walnut Hill Center for the Arts located in Natick, Massachusetts. He is married to Diane Pierce-Williams, daughter of Harvard psychiatrist Dr. Chester Middlebrook Pierce. The couple has three grown children and two grandchildren. Williams also holds an FAA airline transport pilot certificate qualified for both single- and multi-engine aircraft.