25 Apr 2018 UCA’s Williams recognized for service
Ronnie Williams — by his own admission — is in the twilight of his career, but he’ll ride off someday with the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce’s highest form of recognition.
Williams, 64, since 1996 vice president for Student Services at the University of Central Arkansas, was honored recently with the Guy W. Murphy Distinguished Service Award.
Ronnie Williams, vice president for Student Services at the University of Central Arkansas, was selected for this year’s Guy W. Murphy Distinguished Service Award presented by the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce. (Mike Kemp photo)
The award, established in 1957, goes annually “to an individual or group who has rendered special service for the benefit of the community,” according to the chamber. Winners have shown “an active leadership role for the betterment of the community through their involvement in business, civic and social service organizations.”
That pretty much sums up Williams’ career, but he found lots of people with whom to share the award.
“It was a humbling experience for me to be honored in that way,” he said. “When I think of this award, it sort of implies that you alone have done something significant, but if the truth be known, I don’t think any person who receives an award like this gets there without being surrounded by very good people.
“I’ve had very good employees, very good mentors, very good family members who build me up and prop me up.”
Former UCA President Tom Courtway called Williams “a foundational leader.”
“Ronnie Williams is a person we all want our children and grandchildren to emulate,” Courtway said. “He is an educator, public servant, effective administrator — and above all else, an incredible person. He is most deserving.”
Williams grew up in Menifee, where he starred in basketball and was part of the first group of recruits for a young Cliff Garrison when he arrived as head coach at Hendrix College in 1972.
Williams earned his undergraduate degree in education at Hendrix before doing his master’s in educational administration at Arkansas State.
“I can’t say enough good about Ronnie Williams,” Garrison said. “He is one of the finest young men I have had the pleasure to coach. He is a class act. I am so proud of his outstanding career in education. He is most deserving of this award. I can think of none more deserving.”
Williams first came to UCA in 1980 as assistant dean of students, left in ‘83 and returned in 1990 as the first director of Minority Affairs under former President Win Thompson.
“I absolutely loved that,” Williams said. “I enjoyed programming, and Win and (former UCA Vice President) John Smith set some broad parameters for what he wanted us to do in that role. UCA has always been a place of choice for people of color, but we were not retaining them like we needed to. Win Thompson and John Smith wanted us to do whatever it took to turn that around.”
He remembered that he was “finding my second wind” after 18 months in that position when Thompson called and invited him to lunch one day.
“I distinctly remember him calling me,” Williams said. “We had lunch off campus, and he asked me, ‘How would you like to come to my office as assistant to the president?’”
Drew Gainor (from left), Drew Spurgers and Brad Lacy.
During his four years in the UCA President’s Office, Williams said he seized the chance to grow.
“I learned a lot,” he said. “What I loved about Win was you always knew where you stood with him, and I grew.”
Thompson allowed him a year’s leave of absence to do the course work for an Ed.D. in higher education at UALR. After that, the vice president for Student Services position came open as a result of administrative realignment, and Williams was hired into that position in 1996.
Thompson said Williams was “the obvious best choice for the job.”
“Ronnie Williams joined my staff not long after I arrived at UCA in 1988,” he said. “He was a pleasure for me to work with and built excellent rapport with faculty, with staff members and, most importantly, with students.”
Thompson, who left UCA in 2001, praised Williams’ ongoing work as VP.
“He has done a superb job for successive presidents and, more important, for generations of UCA students,” Thompson said. “He also found the time to maintain an active role in his communities — Conway and Menifee. I am very pleased that my friend is being honored by the Conway Chamber.”
Williams said he owed “everything I am professionally in this position” to Thompson.
“I would not be sitting where I’m sitting today if it were not for Win Thompson,” he said. “He gave me an opportunity — this young, unproven administrator — an opportunity to rise and fall. I credit him for changing my life.”
Several years later, Courtway added chief diversity officer to his title, which became vice president for Student Services and Institutional Diversity.
Drew Gainor (from left), Matt Troup and Brad Lacy.
“I’ve worked for some phenomenal presidents at UCA, such as Win Thompson and Jeff Farris, Tom Courtway — and most certainly now Houston Davis, who is going to do a phenomenal job here,” Williams said. “I’m surrounded with a great management team and great employees in the Division of Student Services who are very passionate about their work, who are very competent and who believe in putting students first.”
Williams said he’d also enjoyed the opportunity throughout his career to work with people and organizations in the community such as Brad Lacy, Charles Nabholz, Johnny Adams, Bunny Adcock, the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce and the Conway Development Corporation.
“I could go on and on with people that certainly have meant a lot to me,” he said.
He met his wife, Connie — a Conway High School classmate of Courtway’s — at a Conway gathering when both were in high school. James Clark, the former principal, played a role in their young romance by allowing him to visit campus during the noon hour to hang out with Connie.
“I tease him about that now,” Williams said, chuckling.
Courtway said he’d known Williams for more than 45 years, dating back to their years as Hendrix students.
Drew Gainor (from left), Ronnie Williams and Brad Lacy.
“He has been, and always will be, a dear and close friend,” Courtway said. “We’ve worked together, side by side, on many things. We’ve laughed together, been through tough times together and cried together at funerals.
“In all things, large and small, he has acted with utmost honesty, integrity and character — and with compassion for all.”
The Williamses have two sons — Torre Williams, now a senior project manager with Mars home office in Franklin, Tenn.; and Greg, a senior project manager with Walmart corporate headquarters in Bentonville.
Although he used the twilight metaphor, Williams has set no exit date.
“I’m surrounded by a great team,” he said. “When you stay around long enough, you get to assemble a great team. They’re an extremely competent group of professionals. That keeps me going.”
Donna Lampkin Stephens
Donna Lampkin Stephens
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