J.D. Williams
2018 Hall of Fame Inductee
In 1989, J.D. Williams gave up positions as mayor of Preston, Idaho, and as partner in his law firm, to assume the duties of state controller. He was elected three times, and served as state controller from 1989 through 2002.
He became an active participant in the NASACT community, serving as president of NASC and as vice president of NASACT.
Williams was at the forefront of conversations and activities to examine the role of the Internet and e-commerce in government. He championed new technologies during an era of rapid change and development, an era that ultimately led to many of the efficiencies we now take for granted.
He chaired the National Electronic Commerce Coordinating Council, which worked to promote and implement e-commerce. He was a member of the Harvard Policy Group on Network-Enabled Services in Government at the John F. Kennedy School of Government and was co-chair of the Government Forum of the Internet Council of NACHA, a public-private partnership exploring new standards, delivery mechanisms, and ways to facilitate the cost-effective use of e-commerce.
He is an editor and co-author, spearheading the development of nine thought leadership books on “21st Century Government,” with the first being released in 2002 and the latest in August 2017 at the NASACT annual conference.
In 2002, Williams left public office and began a consulting career with PeopleSoft, Oracle, and Infor, a career that he continues to this day.
He has received multiple awards over the years, among them three NASACT President’s Awards, the prestigious Louis L. Goldstein Leadership Award from NASC, and a Distinguished Service Award from NASACT.
Throughout his career, Williams has been a role model, encouraging others to serve and to aspire to greatness. He set the highest standards of integrity, public service, and best practices, and has relentlessly promoted these principles in his home state of Idaho and in his consulting career.
J.D. Williams has used his vision and wisdom to improve government. However, his generosity and kind spirit have also touched the hearts and minds of thousands of public service professionals, inspiring them to do better in whatever they choose to pursue. His signature phrase, “onwards and upwards,” reminds us of his never-ending pursuit of excellence.