Education

Boys & Girls Clubs of America Announces Freddy Williams’ Election as the Chairman of the National Board of Directors

05/03/2023

The Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) is a national organization founded in 1940 by Herbert Hoover and several other notable individuals as the Boys Clubs of America. The organization later became the Boys & Girls Club of America in 1990. The professional association provides a source for enabling young people to succeed academically and professionally. The BGCA has numerous chapters across the United States, helping millions of youths succeed in their lives and careers through mentorship, safe learning spaces, and training programs. Millions of children cannot access opportunities, resources, and experiences to complete their education and thrive professionally. However, non-profit youth organizations like BGCA enable young individuals to reach their full potential as productive members of society by offering learning and development opportunities. The BGCA recently announced the election of Freddy Williams as the Chairman of the National Board of Directors for BGCA’s Professional Association.

The newly elected Chairman, Fredrick Williams or Freddy Williams, is the president and chief executive officer of the Boys & Girls Club of the Suncoast. Williams is a former athlete, investor, businessperson, and philanthropist recognized primarily for his innovative business practices to impact children’s development and success positively. Williams started volunteering at the Boys & Girls Club in Gainesville during his college senior year. He accepted a director-level position at the BGCA Gainesville, FL chapter. Williams became the CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lake and Sumter Counties in 2012. He became one of the youngest non-profit CEOs managing a multi-million-dollar budget. Williams was also named the New CEO of the Year in 2013 by BGCA. He was named the Highest Performing Board Team of the Year in 2015 and 2016. The BGCA Southeast region also nominated Williams as the Rookie of the Year in 2014.

The non-profit CEO was interested in business and management from a young age and worked in several leadership roles while managing for-profit and non-profit organizations. Born on February 8, 1984, in Panama City, FL, Freddy Williams received his early education in his hometown while enrolling in the Boys & Girls Club for learning and development. Williams started his first business at age 13 when he developed a lawn care business while mowing lawns. He graduated from Rutherford High School in 2002 as the Senior Class President. The University of Tennessee offered Williams to study and play for the university. However, he opted out and chose the University of Florida to focus on academics rather than sports. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in political science in 2009. Freddy Williams completed his MBA with a finance and accounting major in 2016 from Florida International University.

Freddy Williams is the president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of the Suncoast and the newly elected Chairman of the National Board of Directors for BGCA’s Professional Association. However, he was passionate about sports and was heavily recruited to play college football. He played as Rutherford High School’s linebacker. He was among the top linebackers in Florida during his junior and senior years. Several coaching legends recruited Williams due to his football abilities. The notable coaches include Nick Saban at LSU, Bobby Bowden at Florida State University, Mark Richt at the University of Georgia, Phil Fulmer at the University of Tennessee, and Lloyd Carr at the University of Michigan. Freddy Williams was heavily recruited in college football with offers from several universities. Williams selected the University of Tennessee football team to pursue a career in sports. However, he attended the University of Florida to focus on education after witnessing his first cousin, Larry Roberts, suffer injuries after eight seasons in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers.

Williams focused on his education and academics despite being a star athlete in high school in football, soccer, weightlifting, and track. He spent his childhood playing soccer in recreation and competitive leagues. He later started playing football in school and used his strength and speed to achieve prominence. Williams’ abilities compelled the University of Michigan Football and soccer teams to offer him a scholarship to lure him away from other major universities’ scholarship offers. Several other universities and coaches, including the University of Tennessee football team, recruited Williams for football. However, he chose to focus on education, especially after witnessing the negative physical impact of football injuries on his cousin. Williams devoted his time and effort to the Boys & Girls Clubs while rising to the position of president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of the Suncoast. Freddy Williams eventually became the Chairman of the National Board of Directors for BGCA’s Professional Association.