TCGA’s Tony Williams Receives Prestigious Award

Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association Executive Vice President Tony Williams received the Gerald W. Thomas Outstanding Agriculturalist for Public Service Award from Texas Tech University at the annual Pig Roast at the Lubbock Civic Center, Nov. 9.

Williams was born to Don and Pasty Williams and raised in the West Texas area along with four sisters. He attended Texas Tech University where he received a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics in 1984. While at Texas Tech, he was recognized as an Outstanding Student in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics.

Following graduation, Williams went to work for Monsanto Agriculture Products as a sales representative in eastern Washington State. In 1986, he moved back to Lubbock and began working for the National Cotton Council as a field representative for the Southern High Plains of Texas.

Since 1988, Williams has served as the TCGA executive vice president in Austin, Texas. While in this position, he has been responsible for the financial operations and the TCGA Annual Convention & Trade Show. Williams also works with the Legislature and governmental agencies to provide the cotton ginner’s “point of view.” In addition, he serves as the organization’s representative at state and national industry meetings throughout the year.

Williams was instrumental in crafting several significant pieces of legislation, including House Bill 2095 that allowed the Texas Cotton Ginners’ Trust to self-insure as a group of employers for workers’ compensation insurance. In addition, he helped craft HB 2093, which increased the weight of cotton module trucks.

Beyond his more than 29 years of service to the TCGA, Williams has assumed a leadership position in numerous industry and agricultural groups. He currently serves as the board chairman of the Texas Cotton Gin Museum, on the Board of Directors for Ag Workers Mutual Auto Insurance and is a Texas Cotton Ginners’ Trust advisor.

Williams also is on the Texas Agricultural Council Executive Committee; Texas A&M University Cotton Engineering, Ginning, & Mechanization Chair Advisory Council; and is vice chairman of the Texas Agricultural Cooperative Trust health insurance program. In addition, he has played a significant role in obtaining Hurricane & Tropical Storm Cotton Floater Insurance for gins along the Texas Coast. In 2005, Williams was recognized as a Life Member of the Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association and in 2009 was honored with the esteemed National Cotton Ginners’ Association Distinguished Service Award.

Today, Williams and his wife, Lagina, are raising two children, Jayna and Jaxon.

TCGA contributed this article.

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