Tag Archives: Kevin Williams

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TSU Alum Kevin W. Williams Named President, CEO of Major Global Manufacturing Company

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Kevin W. Williams, a Tennessee State University alum and member of the TSU Foundation Board of Trustees, is the new president and CEO of Detroit-based GAA Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management. Williams is a former senior executive of General Motors.

In announcing Williams’ appointment, GAA Chairman Sylvester L. Hester described him as a “game changer” for the company.

“Kevin Williams’ proven leadership capabilities at GM, including a strong track record of growing revenues, managing global operations and delivering quality-driven processes and products, will be key as we continue to diversify and expand our global network of resources to meet the demands of our supply chain customers,” Hester said.

GAA Founder and Executive Chairman William F. Pickard said adding Williams to “our team” demonstrates the company’s commitment to its customers and its seriousness about market growth.

“Kevin is one of America’s most talented executives and we are absolutely delighted that he chose to join us,” Pickard said. “His arrival is simply momentous.”

A native of Lexington Park, Maryland, Williams earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from TSU in 1983 and a master’s in business administration from Central Michigan University in 1989. In 2002, Williams completed the GM Senior Executive Development Program.

Over the course of his 31-year career at GM, Williams accumulated extensive experience where he held numerous global roles. Most recently, he served as board chairman, president and managing director of GM of Canada Ltd, with revenues of $38.7 billion. Prior to that, Williams served as GM vice president and general manager, service and parts operations, where he oversaw all GM global aftersales businesses with annual revenues of $24.5 billion. He also served as president and managing director of GM de Mexico, and GM Central American and the Cayman Islands.

A native of Lexington Park, Maryland, Williams earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Tennessee State University in 1983 and a master’s degree in business administration from Central Michigan University in 1989. In 2002, Williams completed the GM Senior Executive Development Program.

In addition to the TSU Foundation Board of Trustees, Williams is vice chair of the board of directors of the United Negro College Fund, a member of the board of trustees of the American Medical Association, and a former trustee of Genesys Health System of Michigan.

GAA Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management, one of the country’s largest African-American-owned businesses,  provides contract logistics, procurement, quality containment, warehousing, freight forwarding and contract assembly services.

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Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a  premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees.  TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tennessee.  With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students  with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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TSU Toasts Its ‘Points of Pride’ During Ceremony in Downtown Nashville, Launches Website to Engage Alumni

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Calling them its ‘Points of Pride,’ Tennessee State University Thursday night recognized local alumni achievers during a ‘Toast To TSU’ at First Tennessee Park in downtown Nashville.

President Glover toasts fellow Points of Pride at the Toast of TSU. (Photo by John Cross, TSU Media Relations.)

Points of Pride are TSU graduates or former students who are prominent and emerging leaders with universally recognized success in their fields, and who have made a positive impact on the TSU brand and community.

The inaugural group of TSU Points of Pride, among them Shannon Sanders, Grammy Award Winning Producer, Songwriter and Music, Retired 4-star General LLoyd “Fig” Newton, and President Glenda Glover, include individuals with achievements in arts and entertainment, athletics, business, education, engineering and science, government healthcare, law and the military.

TSU Foundation Board Chairman Dwayne Tucker gives remarks at the Toast of TSU. (Photo by John Cross, TSU Media Relations)

“This is certainly a remarkable event and a memorable way to recognize the outstanding contributions of our alumni to not just TSU, but also to the world and their communities,” said Glover. “I am glad to be a Point of Pride for our great university. I say thank you on behalf of all of us.”

Event organizers say this new category of recognition was created to honor and extend the university’s alumni legacy of achievement.

“Among these individuals are unsung alumni that you don’t hear about who are doing marvelous things in their fields, industries and in their communities,” said Cassandra Griggs, director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving.

Eight of the newly recognized TSU Points of Pride, who were present, were each presented with a poster-size photograph of themselves, and a toast from the audience.

“It’s a wonderful feeling to know that someone cares about the fact that you care enough to do your best everyday,” said Kevin Williams, former president and managing director of General Motors Canada, and member of the TSU Foundation Board. “A recognition like a point of pride from the university is something that will go with me for my lifetime, something that certainly gives me a lot of pleasure in knowing that my small efforts are making a difference.”

TSUNAA President Joni McReynolds with her Points of Pride poster at the reception. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

Other Points of Pride toasted were Dwayne Tucker, human resource executive and chairman of the TSU Foundation Board; Dwight Beard, owner of Beard Property Management and president of the TSUNAA Nashville Chapter; Dr. Harold Love, Jr., member of the Tennessee House of Representative and pastor of Lee A.M.E Church; and Uchendi Nwani, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, lecturer and author.

Also toasted was Joni McReynolds, retired generalist with the Central Intelligence Agency and president of TSUNAA.

To view the full list of the 50 Points of Pride, go to https://www.tsupointsofpride.com/

At Thursday night’s Toast to TSU, organizers also launched the official Points of Pride website where alumni can “regularly engage,” nominate future Points of Pride, as well as donate to the university.

TSU alumni and friends toast the new Points of Pride. (Photo by John Cross, TSU Media Relations)

The website is an informative and interactive way to provide feedback on alumni experiences and interests, as well as to register for events and make contributions to support the next generation of the university’s students referred to as “rising stars.”

According to Griggs, the Toast to TSU is a partnership between the TSU Foundation, the National Alumni Association, and the Nashville Chapter to encourage the estimated 24,000 alumni in the Nashville metropolitan area to become informed, involved and invested. Thirteen of the inaugural Points of Pride are from Nashville.

This local effort is being spearheaded by the Nashville Chapter and President Beard.    Foundation Board Chairman Tucker is leading the national effort to education alumni and chapters of the importance of directing funds raised in the name of the University to the TSU Foundation.

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Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 25 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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Multimillionaire Entrepreneur Lectures TSU Students on Success, Establishes Endowed Scholarship

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Multimillionaire entrepreneur Dr. Bill Pickard has a message for TSU students: “Anybody, from anywhere, can accomplish anything.”

“But to do so, ‘you gotta put the work in,’” Pickard said, quoting a line from Grammy-Award winning singer Drake.

Pickard, chairman of Global Automotive Alliance and co-managing partner of MGM Grand Detroit Casino, was the guest lecturer at the Distinguished Lecture Series in the Forum on Monday, April 10.

Following his lecture, the LaGrange, Georgia, native, who is also CEO of Bearwood Management Company and co-owner of five Black-owned newspapers, established an endowed scholarship in the name of Kevin Williams, a TSU alumnus, Foundation Board member and retired president of General Motors of Canada.

He said the endowment was in appreciation of a long friendship, and credited Williams with helping to expand his (Pickard) GAA conglomerate of logistics and manufacturing companies with more than $1.5 billion in sales.

“When I met Kevin we were doing about $100 million, and when he left, we were doing about half a billion, that’s relationship,” Pickard told the packed auditorium with mostly students from the College of Business.

On his own life story, Pickard, who earned a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University, said he started off at a community college after high school, because of poor grades. Many did not give him much chance for success, he said.

“I completed college, earned a master’s degree, became a social worker, and life was good,” said Pickard, who credits a “strong” faith in God for his success “I had an opportunity to earn my Ph.D. and I did.”

According to his bio, Pickard’s entrepreneurial career began with a McDonald’s franchisee in Detroit, becoming one of the top-10 Blacks in America to have a McDonald’s franchise.

“It is not where you start but where you go,” said Pickard, reminding the students of his “Seven Proven Principles of Entrepreneurship,” outlined in his book Millionaire Moves – vision, opportunity, finance, relationships, talent and skillset, failure, faith.

“To be successful you must have vision. Your vision must be greater than the window you are looking through. What that means is that you will never be what you cannot see,” Pickard said.

Williams, in whose name Pickard established the scholarship endowment, said he is glad many will benefit from Pickard’s gift.

“This recognition goes to a lot of people beyond myself,” he said, as he recognized his wife, Arlene, who “makes the machine go.”

Maya Moore, a junior finance major, was part of a panel of Business College students who listened to Pickard. She was very impressed by the speaker’s very simple and encouraging presentation.

“I encourage students to read his book, because just as he spoke, the book lays it down in layman terms for our generation to understand,” Moore said. “Like he said, if you put the work in, with a clear vision, you can accomplish anything.”

Earlier, Dr. Lesia Crumpton-Young, vice president for Research and Institutional Advancement, welcomed Pickard on behalf of President Glenda Glover, who was traveling on business.

“President Glover and the entire TSU family are glad and honored to welcome Dr. Pickard.” Crumpton-Young said. “Certainly, we are excited to hear him and learn from his great wealth of knowledge.”

The Dean of the College of Business, Dr. Millicent Lownes-Jackson, thanked Dr. Pickard for the scholarship endowment.

“This is a very, very special day for the College of Business and for me particularly, since Kevin was my former student,” Lownes-Jackson said. “The College of Business is just so thankful for this donation, and everyone who receives that scholarship will have the challenge to emulate the character and success of two phenomenal business icons – Kevin Williams and Dr. Bill Pickard.”

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Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 25 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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TSU Alumnus Kevin W. Williams Elected to Nation’s Largest and Most Prominent Physicians’ Group

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Kevin W. Williams (’83) has been elected to a public member position with the American Medical Association, according to a recent announcement released by the 168-year-old organization.

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Kevin W. Williams

A former senior executive with General Motors, Williams joins the nation’s largest and most prominent physician organization on its 21-member board which sets standards and policy for the medical profession. He is only the fourth person to hold the public member position on the governing board, which added the first public member to its Board of Trustees in 2002. Williams will begin his four-year term at the conclusion of the AMA Annual Meeting in June 2016.

“Mr. Williams brings a wealth of knowledge and skills to the AMA board from his private sector career as a high-level leader with national and international business experience,” said Stephen R. Permut, M.D., AMA Board chair, in a release. “We look forward to his new perspectives that will help enrich our continuing efforts to address the leading health care issues facing our nation.”

Over the course of his 31-year career at GM, Williams accumulated extensive experience where he held numerous global roles. Most recently, he served as board chairman, president and managing director of General Motors (GM) of Canada Ltd. He also served as president and managing director of GM de Mexico, and GM North American vice president of quality.

Williams began his GM career in 1983 as a reliability analyst at Buick City in Flint, Michigan, and over the years he took on diverse key leadership roles as global executive director of Supplier Quality; global executive director of Supplier Quality, Development, and Supplier Diversity for Worldwide Purchasing; and executive director of Supplier Quality for GM Europe with responsibilities spanning 22 countries and 1,500 employees.

Williams has a demonstrated passion for giving back. He is a board member of the United Negro College Fund Foundation, a former trustee of Genesys Health System of Michigan, a former chairman of the Society of Automotive Engineers’ A World in Motion Advisory Committee, and continues to support his alma mater by serving on the TSU Foundation Board of Trustees.

A native of Lexington Park, Maryland, Williams earned a bachelor’s in Business Management from Tennessee State University in 1983 and a master’s in Business Administration from Central Michigan University in 1989. In 2002, Williams completed the GM Senior Executive Development Program.

Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.