Vince Williams serves as the mayor of Union City, Georgia, and was President of the National League of Cities (NLC) 2021-2022. His involvement in NLC began after his election to the Union City Council in 2007 and continued as he was elected as mayor in 2013. In addition to his position in NLC leadership, Williams has served on the NLC Board of Directors, the Board Finance Committee, the Executive Committee and as an NLC University Leadership Fellow.
When Williams was elected to City Council, his first priority as a councilmember was to create a
strong economic base for Union City by attracting professional and commercial businesses that
would transform the city into a full-scale, financially sound livable community. Williams became Union City’s twentieth mayor in May 2013. As the sitting Mayor Pro Tem, he was elevated to the office after the resignation of his predecessor. In November 2013, he was elected to the office of Mayor.
Mayor Williams’ focus in specific areas includes:
- Developing and redeveloping Union City’s central business district
- Creating jobs, developing the workforce and focusing on education
- Developing transportation opportunities for residents
- Implementing strong neighborhood public safety initiatives
- Increasing governmental transparency
- Advancing economic sustainability
- Ending homelessness and hunger
Williams was elected to office at a moment of crisis unlike any Union City had experienced in decades – a city on the verge of financial ruin, a stagnant economy, and a community that lacked vision. His leadership and commitment to advancing the City Council’s shared vision for Union City helped to transform a dilapidated mall into a thriving multi-million dollar film studio (Atlanta Metro Studios) and reverse a multi-year financial deficit to an 81% increase during his first term as mayor – all while ushering in the greatest period of job creation in the city’s history.
Williams works tirelessly to encourage economic sustainability by fostering relationships with local businesses that have called Union City home for years, such as Universal Forestry Products, Mortensen Woodwork, General Electric, Dendreon and Kraft Foods. The success of those businesses has established Union City as the address of choice for many Fortune 500 companies, including Proctor and Gamble, Walmart, Amazon and international giants like ASOS.
Since his first day in office, Williams has strived to increase consensus, cooperation, and
partnership between South Fulton, Metro Atlanta, and Georgia’s many local governments; its business
and civic communities and its residents. The result of this effort is a new era of collaboration that
has paved the way for a string of remarkable accomplishments for a greater Union City in a very short period of time and has set the city on course for a more prosperous exciting future.
On the world’s stage, Williams has represented Union City, the State of Georgia and the United States by participating in the U.S.–China Exchange Association’s U.S. Business Matchmaking Conference, where he met with a delegation of elected officials and business leaders from Japan, Africa and China to discuss how those countries could invest in America. His work has been recognized at the state level by Governor Nathan Deal, which led to his appointments to the County and Municipal Probation Advisory Council (CMPAC), Georgia’s 911 Advisory Council, and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA).
Williams is also a recipient of the Outstanding Citizen Award given by the office of the Secretary of State and the 2017 President’s Volunteer Service Award given by President Barack Obama. In 2018, Williams was awarded Mayor of the Year by The Georgia Minority Business Awards, and Georgia Trend Magazine honored him as one of the 100 Most Influential Georgians.
Williams is a graduate of Lemoyne-Owen College in Memphis, Tennessee where he earned a B.A. in Political Science. He has over 25 years of experience in corporate America that includes a strong work ethic and positive attitude. He is a 2011 graduate of the Georgia Academy for Economic Development, received Special Recognition from the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department for Emergency/Disaster Preparedness and Business Continuity Leadership Institute in 2011, and in 2012 Williams completed the Robert E. Knox Jr., Municipal Leadership Institute program through the University of Georgia in partnership with the Georgia Municipal Association. He is a Class of 2016 Regional Leadership Institute graduate.
Williams has a background in Senior Non-Profit Administration, Legal and Regulatory Compliance and Public Relations. He is also an entrepreneur in Real Estate, and the Health and Wellness Industry. He is a devout Christian and humbly serves God under the leadership of Senior Pastor André Landers at the iTHRIVE Christian Church as an Associate Pastor. He is a member of the iTHRIVE Christian Church Board of Directors and is a certified Christian educator.
Connect with Immediate Past President Vince Williams
