Jay Williams (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jay Williams
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development | |
| In office May 20, 2014 – January 20, 2017 |
|
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | John Fernandez |
| Succeeded by | John Fleming |
| 47th Mayor of Youngstown | |
| In office 2005–2011 |
|
| Preceded by | George McKelvey |
| Succeeded by | Charles Sammarone |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Roy Kojo Jawara Williams
September 26, 1971 Youngstown, Ohio |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Sonja |
| Children | 1 son |
| Education | Youngstown State University (BS) |
Roy Kojo Jawara "Jay" Williams was born on September 26, 1971. He is an American politician and leader. He worked for the United States government as the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development from 2014 to 2017. Before that, he was the mayor of Youngstown, Ohio. He also led a special office that helped communities recover after problems in the car industry. Since 2017, he has been the President of The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, which helps communities.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jay Williams grew up in Youngstown, Ohio. He went to Youngstown State University. There, he earned a degree in finance. After college, he decided to stay in Youngstown. He worked for banks in the area. He also worked as an examiner for the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. This bank helps manage money and banks in its region.
Later, Williams left banking. He became the director of Youngstown's Community Development Agency. In this role, he helped create a big plan called Youngstown 2010. This plan was designed to improve the city. It aimed to change its image and help it grow.
Becoming Mayor of Youngstown
Jay Williams had always been a Democrat. However, he chose to run for mayor as an independent candidate in 2005. He announced his plan on May 3, 2005.
Even though he had no direct political experience, Williams quickly became a strong candidate. He ran a popular campaign. Many people thought he might win the election.
On Election Day, November 8, 2005, Williams won the mayoral race. This surprised many people. They thought his young age and lack of experience would stop him. Some people believe he won because many citizens were unhappy with the city's usual leaders.
Mayor's Goals and Achievements
As mayor, Jay Williams worked to create a Joint Economic Development District. This district worked with nearby towns. It helped the region grow together. He was also part of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition. This group included mayors from different political parties. Their goal was to make communities safer. They wanted to remove illegal guns from the streets. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg led this group. In 2008, Williams was a speaker at a conference about reusing materials in the Great Lakes area.
His election in 2005 was important for Youngstown. He became the city's first African-American mayor. He was also the first independent mayor since 1922.
Working for the U.S. Government
In August 2011, Williams left his job as mayor. He took a new position with the Obama administration. He became the "Auto Czar." This role focused on helping communities that were affected by problems in the car industry.
In 2014, Williams became the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. He led the Economic Development Administration. His job was to guide the country's economic development. He worked to make American regions more innovative and competitive. He also helped prepare them for growth in the global economy.
In November 2020, Williams was chosen to be part of the Joe Biden presidential transition team. He helped with efforts related to the United States Department of Treasury.
See also
