Articles

January 2026 Keynote Speaker

UNITY IN MOTION - NATIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR MUSEUM AND ARLINGTON GRAND PRIX

W. Jeff Williams
Chief Executive Officer
Graham Associates, Inc.

Jeff Williams has spent his life designing meaningful places that unite people, sometimes in the form of a park or town center, sometimes an entire city. His impactful work is most evident in his hometown of Arlington, Texas, where he propelled the city to be one of the most pre-eminent U.S. communities to live, work and play.

Jeff transformed Arlington into the most popular destination between Orlando and Vegas, creating a tourism hub that attracts more than 15 million visitors every year, through unifying architects, investors, municipal leaders and business executives. He rallied citizens and multi-billion-dollar businesses to keep the Texas Rangers baseball team in their hometown. He led the successful bid that crowned Arlington the home of the National Medal of Honor Museum, even though the city wasn’t even on the shortlist of original possibilities. He also built the largest e-sports arena in the U.S. to compete with some of the nation’s most innovative and tech-forward cities. As mayor, he successfully navigated high tensions around racial violence, and he’s credited with leading Arlington out of the depths of the pandemic faster than any other major city in the nation.

As a civil engineer, CEO of Graham Associates and as mayor, unity has defined Jeff’s leadership approach. He has proven repeatedly that unity has a return on investment that is always worth pursuing, and now you’ll be able to read about his stories and practical tips when he shares his blueprint for unity with the world.