Local

Sam Williams To Retire From Metro Chamber of Commerce

June 4th, 2013

Sam Williams today said he’ll retire as President of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.

The Chamber’s primary focus has been attracting companies to the area and pushing companies already here to expand. Williams has been Chamber President since December 1996. In a statement, the Chamber says more than 700 companies were recruited to Metro Atlanta under Williams’ leadership. The Chamber has also been heavily involved in governmental affairs on the local and state level.

Also in the statement, Williams is credited for helping Atlanta meet Clean Water Act standards and luring high-tech, logistics and bioscience companies to Metro Atlanta. The Chamber also strongly lobbied the Georgia Legislature to change the state flag. Under Williams, the Chamber played a significant role in addressing financial issues that faced Grady Memorial Hospital.

In recent years, Williams lobbied the Legislature to pass a bill to set up a regional transportation referendum. The measure passed. However, the voters overwhelmingly rejected the plan. Williams was also criticized in connection to his support of former Atlanta Public Schools superintendent Beverly Hall during the cheating scandal.

Williams says his retirement will take effect either at the end of the year or when his replacement is hired.

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Program Note: WABE’s Denis O’Hayer talks with Sam Williams about his retirement on “The 5:44” With Denis O’Hayer, this afternoon on WABE-FM 90.1 at — what else? — 5:44 PM