Earl Williams Receives Distinguished Service Award

Dan Cotton

Earl Williams

Earl Williams

A California man deeply involved in the cotton industry is honored for his work. Sabrina Hill reports.

Earl Williams Receives Award

Earl Williams, past president/chief executive officer of the California Cotton Ginners Association, is honored as the recipient of the National Cotton Ginners Association’s (NCGA) 2013-14 Distinguished Service Award.

The annual award recognizes individuals who have provided a career of distinguished service to the U.S. ginning industry. Williams received the award during the California Cotton Ginners Association’s annual meeting as he was unable to attend the NCGA’s annual meeting in February.

Williams joined the California Cotton Growers and Ginners’ Associations in 1993 as executive vice president, was named president and CEO in 1997, and retired at the end of 2014. He was one of fifteen charter members of the California Cotton Ginners Association, serving on their Board from 1972 to 1980. He also served as an advisor to the National Cotton Council, the American Cotton Producers, the NCGA’s Advisory Policy Council and Supima’s board.

A native of Arkansas, where his family was involved in cotton farming, Williams came to Buttonwillow, Calif., with his family in 1958 and later received a Bachelor of Science in Crop Production from Cal Poly. He is a past president of the Buttonwillow Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture and past member and chairman of the Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo Crop Science Department’s Advisory Council. He served as Cal Poly Crops Club president and received the Club’s Distinguished Agriculturist Award in 1996.

Williams is a past board member of the Agricultural Energy Consumers Association and the California Agricultural Education Foundation, which oversees the California Ag Leadership Program.He also is a founding member and past chairman of the AgriBusiness President’s Council.