TO THE CHAPTER INVISIBLE
Willie Williams, Jr. 1939–2022 Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau Executive, U.S. Marine Corp By Aaron Williams
L ongtime Chicago tourism on February 4, 2022. Williams was rec- ognized as a leader in the cause of fur- thering racial equality and opportunity in the convention and tourism industry. He tremendously impacted Chicago's hospitality industry's economic growth and development by promoting cultural diversity in the meeting industry. He was also a founding member and past president of the popular Chicago Rat Pack, an elite group of influential Afri- can American men of influence, which Williams led for decades. A lifelong Chicagoan, Williams was born on August 19, 1939, in the Mor- gan Park section of Chicago to the late Willie, Sr., and Ellen (née Brassfield) Williams. He attended John D. Shoop Elementary School and graduated from Morgan Park High School. He enlisted executive W. Bill Williams (Chi- cago Heights (IL) Alumni 1982) entered the Chapter Invisible in the United States Marines Corps after high school. Williams earned a bachelor's degree in business and mar- keting from Chicago State University. Williams began his professional career at United Airlines, the Chicago Police Department, Butler Aviation, and Sullair Engineering. In 1975, he joined the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau (later known as Choose Chi- cago). His responsibilities included cov- ering social, military, education/ethnic, religious, and fraternal tourism markets
for Chicago. In 2012, he retired as vice president of Choose Chicago after 37 years and working with seven Chicago mayoral administrations. Williams served over 40 years in the hospitality industry. He was involved in several professional, social and commu- nity organizations. He was a founding board member of the National Coali- tion of Black Meeting Planners and a founding board member of the Chicago Chapter of the Society of Government Meeting Professionals. Williams was also a member of Who's Who Among Black Americans and Who's Who in Black Chicago and held memberships and board positions for numerous organizations, including the International Association of His- panic Meeting Professionals; NAACP; Christian Meetings and Convention Association; National Urban League; Rainbow Push Coalition; president of the Rat Pack Chicago; former grand marketing director of the Improved Benevolent Protective Order of the Elks of the World (Great Lakes Elks Lodge #43); vice chairman of Westside Asso- ciation for Community Action; member of the board of trustees of the Chicago Baptist Institute; board member of the Academy of Travel and Tourism for the Chicago Public Schools; member of the City Club of Chicago; and board mem- ber of the Black Metropolis Convention and Tourism Council. A Life Member of the Fraternity,
Williams held memberships previously with the Chicago Heights (IL) Alumni and Chicago (IL) Alumni Chapters was a member of the Quarter Century Club of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. He was a 33rd Degree Mason and a Shriner and a board member for the Shoop School 49ers Alumni Association Inc., and the Ray Kroc Community Center. He was a lifelong member of Mt. Cal- vary Baptist Church. Williams was the recipient of the 2008 Apex Award for Distinguished Ser- vice from the Black Meetings and Tour- ism and the A. Phillip Randolph Award. In 2009, the Chicago Defender newspa- per named Williams as one of 50 men of excellence. He was named Who's Who Among Black Americans and the Who's Who in Black Chicago. Williams was also an entrepreneur, founding K & J Shoe Repair & Shine Parlors and the former E&B Restaurant. Williams also served as a consultant to Choose Chicago. Williams is predeceased by his parents and daughter Karen Williams Grier. Brother Bill Williams is survived by his devoted wife of 56 years Syles- ter (née Tillman) Williams; sons Kevin (Chicago (IL) Alumni 1998) and Keyth (LaSharrii); grandchildren Lauren (Ben- jamin) Holliman, Keyth Jr., and Kaysen Williams; greatgrandchildren Benjamin IV and Savanah Holliman; sister-in-law Cynthia Neeley and a host of relatives, close friends, in-laws, and colleagues.
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