Community Leader

CHAMBER

For Casey Gay Williams, the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce is something that holds a special place in her heart and always has—ever since she was a child, running around the office while her father served as manager.

BY LIESEL SCHMIDT

Now, she herself holds the position of president and CEO of the Chamber, having been brought into the role after a regional search to find someone who would further the organization’s mission and manage it effectively. A graduate of Auburn University with a Bachelor of

Science Degree and an Executive MBA, she spent more than three decades of her career in the banking industry and served as the Executive VP and

Director of Retail for United Bank Atmore before she became Eastern

Shore Chamber of Commerce president in November 2016. After 35 years dedicating herself to banking, Williams viewed the position as a way to serve the community and almost a destiny—or, as she says, a calling. “My father, Charlie Gay, was a small business owner and the Executive Director of the Eastern Shore Chamber for 14 years,” she says. “I grew up hanging out with my dad at the Chamber and participating in community events, so working for the Chamber and the Eastern Shore community was always something I wanted to do. The opportunity came along to apply for the president/CEO position, and I was ready for the job.”

Bringing with her a wealth of knowledge, experience, enthusiasm and passion, Williams is the ideal president and CEO, imbuing those qualities into her roles—which, in turn, greatly benefits the Chamber and its operations. She has also dedicated countless hours to service and volunteered for several years on the Chamber’s Jubilee Festival committee, serving as festival chairman for two years. Born and raised in Daphne, William now has grandchildren that are the fifth generation of her family to live and grow up on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay. “That is one of the reasons that I am so passionate about where I live and work,” she says.

The past six years of working with the Chamber have naturally had their ups and downs, but Williams loves every minute. “When you work for the Chamber, you never have the same day twice,” she explains. “The Chamber is all about our community, connecting people, and supporting our businesses. You get to meet a lot of people and be involved in a variety of things, so there is nothing dull about it. I really love it!”

Still, there are challenges that Williams must navigate in her dayto-day. “Our biggest challenge as a chamber is that each business sector has a unique need, it is not a one size fits all,” she explains. “We serve non-profits; professional businesses such as healthcare, real estate, and legal; small businesses; large institutions; hospitality; restaurants; and a variety of others. We are always working to discover ways to meet the various needs and make a difference for each member. With over 1,000 members, it is a big job!

“As the president/CEO of the Chamber, my biggest challenge is time management,” she continues. “With competing and changing priorities, we must make sure that, as a team, we are covering all of our bases. Much of our work is in the community, and being visible is critical; but there is also the work to get events planned and executed. I have a great team, and they work very hard for the Eastern Shore.”

Recent years have presented their own challenges—ones that no one could have foreseen—but Williams has led her charge with a clear head and helped see the Chamber and the community through those difficulties. In this, she takes great pride. “In 2020, despite the pandemic and Hurricane Sally, the Chamber team was able to hold the Jubilee Festival in Olde Town Daphne,” she notes. “The staff worked through so many obstacles and got really creative in making the festival safe for the community. We worked closely with the City of Daphne and moved the festival to Lott Park so we could spread out the artists and vendors. Yes, there were many things that we could not do; but the team persevered and figured out what we could do. It was a great accomplishment.”

A dedicated member of the community, Williams also serves as past chairman of the National Auburn MBA Advisory Board, past president and current board member of the Baldwin Humane Society, chairman of the Fair Ballot Commission of Alabama, Founding Entity Council of Coastal Alabama Partnership, and HATCH advisory board. She is also a member of Impact 100, the Eastern Shore MPO technical advisory committee, the Mobile Airport Authority Task Force, the Business Advisory Board for Mobile Bay National Estuary Program, and South Alabama Regional Planning Commission loan committee. Additionally, she is the past chairman and former board memberof the Daphne Redevelopment Authority.

Christopher J. Bosarge, M.D.

Board Certified in Diagnostic & Interventional Radiology

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