City of Athens press release
The City of Athens is pleased to announce the hiring of Amy Williams as the new Director of Development. After a three-month search that drew interest from dozens of candidates across the country, Williams was selected as the person to provide new leadership to the utilities, building, planning, streets and fleet maintenance divisions of the City. Current Interim Director, Gordon Mayer, will be assisting Williams and the City with her transition.
According to the City’s advertisement, the position required a passionate public servant with a strong commitment to personal and professional ethics. Athens City Manager Philip Rodriguez believes they found the right person to fit that description in Amy Williams.
Many in Athens may already know Williams, as she is active on the boards of Henderson County United Way and Keep Athens Beautiful, as well as a member of the Athens Noon Kiwanis. According to Williams, “Building relationships with the community is a top priority for me. Athens is where I want to serve, and I look forward to an even greater opportunity to do that.”
Amy Williams joins the City’s management team after spending the last three years with Atmos Energy. She began with Atmos as an Engineer, and is now serving as the Manager of Public Affairs for 35 cities in East Texas, including Athens. She also worked as an Engineer for the Texas Water Development Board and the AECOM engineering firm after earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Florida State University.
Rodriguez noted that Williams’ engineering background was one of the things that impressed him most about her. “Amy brings a great skillset to the City of Athens that will help us advance forward as an organization. As an engineer, she’s managed both water and wastewater projects, and has firsthand experience with state compliance in those two areas specifically. The opportunity to gain from Amy’s technical background as well as her excellent communication and people skills makes her a great fit for our City. Her strong understanding of budgets and strategy are also key as we increase our professionalism across the board. We’re very fortunate and excited to have her join our team.”
Williams will take over her new duties at the City of Athens on December 14th, and will be the primary lead at the new Development Services Center, which currently houses the City’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The new development “one-stop shop” is scheduled to open spring of 2016, located at 622 S. Prairieville St. in Athens.