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Keynote SpeakerJeff Williams

Former Mayor of Arlington, Texas

Jeff Williams is both a Registered Professional Engineer and a Mayor. Williams’ extensive experience in engineering and building communities helped him become one of the most successful Mayors in the United States. He is a gifted speaker and communicator with an ability to cast vision and anticipate challenges. Mayor Williams... Read more

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Popular Talks by Jeff Williams

  • Cities
  • City Planning and Engineering
  • Inclusive Leadership
  • Inspiration and Empowerment
  • Visioning and Implementation
  • Economic Development
  • Transportation Innovation and Technology
  • Public infrastructure
  • Municipal Investments in Development
  • Innovation and Technology Advancement
  • Engineering Communities for the next Century
  • Tourism, Sports and Entertainment
  • Private/Public Partnerships
  • Role of Education in Building a City

Biography

Jeff Williams is both a Registered Professional Engineer and a Mayor. Williams’ extensive experience in engineering and building communities helped him become one of the most successful Mayors in the United States. He is a gifted speaker and communicator with an ability to cast vision and anticipate challenges. Mayor Williams inclusive leadership style, along with understanding that true results are achieved through partnerships, has been key to his success. This success has not gone unnoticed. This past year, he was awarded the Nation’s Outstanding Public Official by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The Big City Mayors of Texas selected him as their chairman for the 2020 – 2021 term. The U.S. Conference of Mayors selected Mayor Williams to Chair the prestigious National Metro Economies Committee and the Tourism. Sports, and Entertainment Committee. The U.S. Conference of Mayors also appointed him to be Co-Chair of the important National Covid Relief Task Force which resulted in the largest grant in U.S. history to our cities ($65 billion).

Mayor Williams came into office with a strategic plan to create jobs and expand tourism to generate more revenue to invest in the City. The successful implementation of this plan resulted in: Fortune 500 company, D.R. Horton, moving their world headquarters to Arlington; UPS building a state-of-the-art distribution center in the City; General Motors investing $1.4 billion in the expansion of their existing manufacturing plant; manufacturers from Canada, Mexico and Luxembourg relocating their manufacturing operations to the newly constructed Arlington Logistics Center resulting in 2,000 new jobs in this one facility; and the World Headquarters of Six Flags Amusement Parks moving to Arlington. These are just a few examples of the very aggressive business recruitment led by Mayor Williams.

His efforts to expand tourism resulted in building a $1.2 billion retractable roof special events center. This venue is considered the “best ballpark in Major League Baseball”, as evidenced by its selection to host the World Series in its first year of operation in 2020. The facility is now hosting over 300 events a year, along with AT&T Stadium (home of the Dallas Cowboys) which is also hosting over 300 events a year. The events range from the Super Bowl, NBA Allstar Game, Wrestlemania, Concerts, National Finals Rodeo, Major League Baseball Allstar Game to the World Cup scheduled in 2026, to name a few. In addition, Six Flags over Texas, a large amusement park was expanded. With ESports becoming one of the fastest growing businesses in the world, Mayor Williams led the City to build the largest ESports Arena in the nation. The City was also selected to be the home of the National Medal of Honor Museum, after a nationwide competition. Under Mayor Williams leadership in this competition, they competed successfully against such cities as Denver and San Diego. The Arlington Entertainment District has become a world class destination, with Loew’s Hotels building 4000 hotel rooms and a new convention center, along with the completion of the largest entertainment venue in Texas called Texas Live!

The increased revenue allowed for major investment in infrastructure and transportation, while reducing taxes. Mayor Jeff Williams leveraged the City investment to procur private funding, along with County, State and Federal grants. He also opened the City to be a “technology laboratory“. Arlington was the first City in America to operate an autonomous public shuttle! One of the most successful transportation projects in America was also begun in Arlington. It is a technology rideshare program that is a public/private partnership with Via, where people are conveniently transported for a fraction of the cost of light rail. Cities across the nation are now implementing this mode of transportation. Mayor Williams was a featured speaker at the World Transportation Conference in china in 2019, as a result of the many transportation innovations implemented in his City. Mayor Williams has encouraged many other technology advancements and Arlington was awarded the coveted “What Works Cities Gold Certification” ranking Arlington as one of the most technologically advanced cities in the United States.

After serving three terms as Mayor and terming out, he is currently serving as the President and CEO of Graham Associates, a civil engineering and planning firm. His distinguished engineering career includes serving as the Civil Engineer on many landmark projects such as Cowboys Stadium(Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award), Nebraska Furniture Mart development(largest retail store in the world) owned by Warren Buffet, Interstate 30 Three Bridges (Project of the Year for State of Texas), and Southlake Town Square(numerous national awards for town center and mixed use development). Mayor Jeff Williams has been recognized as a Distinguished Engineer by his alma mater Texas Tech University, inducted in to the university’s Civil Engineering Academy for Engineering Excellence and is a member of the Chi Epsilon Civil Engineering Honor Fraternity at both Texas Tech and the University of Texas at Arlington.

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How to book Jeff Williams as a keynote speaker

How do I book Jeff Williams for a keynote speech?

You can book Jeff Williams through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with Jeff's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.

What are Jeff Williams's speaking fees?

Jeff Williams's speaking fees depend on the event format (in-person or virtual), the location, the length of the engagement and the level of customisation required. Please contact London Speaker Bureau for an up-to-date fee quote for Jeff tailored to your event.

What topics does Jeff Williams speak about?

Jeff Williams speaks on Cities, Cities & Environment. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with Jeff to align the content with your delegates and goals.

Is Jeff Williams available for international events?

London Speaker Bureau can book Jeff Williams for events worldwide, subject to Jeff's schedule. Please send us your event date, location and format and we will confirm availability and handle travel and logistics on your behalf.

Does Jeff Williams deliver virtual or online keynotes?

Virtual and hybrid keynotes are now a standard part of the speaking industry. Please contact London Speaker Bureau to confirm whether Jeff Williams is available to deliver a virtual session for your event and on which platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, a bespoke studio or your own).

How long is a typical keynote by Jeff Williams?

Most keynote speeches run between 45 and 60 minutes, often followed by a 15-30 minute Q&A. Other formats - shorter conference slots, panel appearances or longer workshop sessions - may also be possible. Share your agenda with London Speaker Bureau and we will confirm what Jeff can accommodate.

Can Jeff Williams tailor the keynote to our industry and audience?

London Speaker Bureau will brief Jeff Williams on your audience profile, sector and objectives so the keynote can be shaped around your event. The level of customisation possible depends on the speaker and the lead time - contact us with your brief and we will confirm what Jeff can offer.

What languages does Jeff Williams present in?

Jeff Williams delivers keynotes in English. This profile may not list every language available; ask London Speaker Bureau to confirm. If you require simultaneous interpretation or a multilingual format, please mention this in your enquiry and London Speaker Bureau will arrange it for you.

What makes Jeff Williams a strong fit as a keynote speaker?

Jeff Williams's areas of expertise include Cities, Cities & Environment. To get a clear sense of Jeff's style, credentials and how they engage an audience, please review the biography, popular talks and any videos or testimonials shown on this page, or request a detailed speaker brief from London Speaker Bureau.

What kind of events can Jeff Williams speak at?

Jeff Williams can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in Cities, Cities & Environment is relevant. Details of Jeff's background and previous engagements are included in the biography above; contact us if you would like a more detailed list of past clients or case studies.

Does Jeff Williams offer workshops, panels or fireside chats in addition to keynotes?

Beyond keynote speeches, many of the speakers on our roster also take part in workshops, executive masterclasses, panel discussions and fireside chats. Contact London Speaker Bureau with your preferred format and we will confirm what Jeff Williams is able to offer alongside or instead of a keynote.

How far in advance should we book Jeff Williams?

We generally recommend enquiring at least three to twelve months in advance to secure your preferred date with Jeff Williams, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Jeff's current availability for your dates.