Editor, The Beacon:
Let me introduce you to my friend, Reggie Williams.
I met Reggie in the mid-1980s, when he was the community-services director for the County of Volusia. I was the director of planning and research for the United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties. We collaborated on numerous occasions to address the needs of vulnerable populations.
Reggie was always engaging and forward-thinking.
Reggie is knowledgeable, and he cares and listens. He has a heart for the people. Over the years, I saw him develop into a leader who used these attributes to develop and manage programs and services.
This could be seen in how he interacted with cities through Volusia County’s Urban County Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program or with citizens, builders and Realtors to create the county’s first affordable-housing program.
Reggie understood that collaboration and communication were paramount.
No task was too big or too small for him. His willingness to take on different tasks, and serving on boards such as CareerSource, Transportation Disadvantaged and United Way, gave him perspective.
This led to promotions in county government and the oversight of multiple divisions, with budgets exceeding $100 million.
These skills and abilities were welcomed by the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), where he oversaw service delivery in four counties with a budget of about $70 million and staff of 300-plus employees. He continues to support his community today by serving on agency boards and as a pastor.
If experience is what citizens are looking for in a new mayor, Reggie has it.
Renee Gahagan
Daytona Beach
