The Housing Authority of Texarkana, Texas welcomed a new chief executive officer and executive director last month.
"I love this Texas heat," Antonio D. Williams said during his June 24 welcome reception, hosted by the HATT Board of Comm-
issioners inside the Rose Hill Ridge Community Room at 1201 Stuckey St. "This place has great curb appeal and a very nice paint job."
Williams, hired by HATT May 2, becomes the authority's fifth CEO and executive director since 2009. He came to the Twin Cities from Mobile, Ala., where he served for a number of years as vice president of asset management compliance with Mobile Development Enterprises. This company assists public housing authorities as well as private businesses involved in the affordable housing industry.
Born and raised in Memphis, Tenn., Williams earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and a master's degree in project management from Keller Graduate School of Management in Atlanta, Ga.
Since earning his degrees, Williams has spent the last 23 years working in the affordable housing industry to help improve its overall performance.
Besides public housing, Williams also spent 12 years in government contracting for the U.S. Department of Defense. There, he specialized in compliance services with a focus on quality control and assurance, strategic planning, project management, operations management, contract administration and internet technology systems.
Aside from government contracting, Williams also participated in several U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development focus groups in Washington, D.C.
These groups worked on re-engineering business systems, protocols and assessment systems designed to serve public housing authorities, as well as small private businesses in the southwestern and northeastern parts of the U.S. and areas in the Caribbean-particularly within the last 15 years. During this time, Williams helped develop new processes in such areas as property management, maintenance management and operations management, using customized databases and other resources for small, medium and large public housing authorities.
Jamie Bass, vice chairman of the HATT Board of Commissioners, said the city is pleased to have Williams take charge.
"We have great things ahead of us in the Housing Authority," Bass said.
Texas-side Mayor Bob Bruggeman also welcomed Williams aboard.
"I visited with Antonio a few weeks ago, and on behalf of both cities, I want to extend a very warm welcome to him," he said.
