Bill Williams of Paris, Tenn., is editor emeritus of The Paris Post-Intelligencer. He has been with the paper most of his life, having started in his youth as a newspaper carrier and working his way up to publisher in 1978, and continues to write its daily editorials.
Williams is the third generation of a five-generation family that has published The Paris Post-Intelligencer for more than 85 years. In fact, 28 members of the Williams family have been involved in newspapers, journalism education or printing.
During his high school years, he worked as a reporter after school, on Saturdays and during the summers. After graduating third in his high school class of 1952, Williams went on to graduate with honors as a journalism student at Murray State University.
During his summers, Williams continued to be a reporter for The Post Intelligencer. Throughout his college years, Williams was also a member of the college newspaper staff and was named the outstanding journalism student during his senior year.
After graduating from college, he was a reporter for the Memphis Press-Scimitar for a brief period, then for the Tullahoma News for three years before he returned to Paris in 1960 to become the Post-Intelligencer's news editor.
Under his guidance the paper has won numerous awards and honors.
Williams has served as president of the Tennessee Associated Press Managing Editors, and was a founding member of the board of directors of the Mid-America Press Institute.
In retirement, Williams has stayed very involved in civic activities, including the Optimist Club, where he's past-president; the Heritage Center, where he's past-executive director; Habitat for Humanity, where he's past-president; and the Presbyterian Church, where he's an elder and Sunday school teacher.
Williams, is founding president of Henry County Literacy Council and winner of the state Sequoyah literacy award; he was awarded the Boy Scouts' Silver Beaver award for leadership. He helped organize his community's blood program, and is active in an annual community auction that raises more than a quarter of a million dollars to aid local charities.
He and his wife, Anne, have three daughters, 11 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Through his professional work and community service, Bill Williams has distinguished herself by outstanding service to the profession of journalism, and has brought great honor to himself, his community and the State of Tennessee.
