Roby S.Williams

President, Memphis Black Business Association

Roby S. Williams is a lifelong Memphian.  He attended Prep School in Memphis at The Booker T. Washington Leadership Academy, where the motto is, "We're tops.  We lead and others follow."

He is a graduate of The LeMoyne Owen College where he received a Baccalaureate Degree in History.  Upon graduation Mr. Williams began his career in banking at the First Tennessee Bank.  At First Tennessee, he worked in the Branch Division; in Commercial and Retail Lending; in the Marketing Division and for the First Tennessee National Corporation.

After five years in banking, Mr. Williams began a career in SALES.  He sold Yellow Pages Advertising for the L.M. Berry Company.  He then began selling, "Communications Related Solutions to Business Problems" in Business Marketing for South Central Bell Business Marketing and later for AT&T in Memphis.  (He sold microprocessor based telephone systems and network services for the phone company.)  Following six years in telecommunications sales, Mr. Williams sold Mailing and Manifest Systems for Pitney Bowes.

Mr. Williams thereafter began a career in Broadcast Advertising Sales.  He sold Radio Advertising for WDIA and WHRK (K-97 FM) Radio Stations.  From radio, he moved to TV sales.  He sold television advertising for WREG News Channel 3 (New York Times Broadcasting), and for UPN 30 WLMT (Clear Channel Television).  After six years in television sales, Mr. Williams became a Mortgage Broker and financed homes in the Memphis region.

Mr. Williams became President of the Black Business Association of Memphis (BBA) in October 2002.  There he assists minority and women business owners to achieve success in their business operations.  When asked what he does for a living, Mr. Williams is fond of answering in this manner, "I am an opportunity facilitator.  I help to create taxpayers."