Photo courtesy of Kendall Williams.
Kendall Williams.
Kendall Williams is the manager of tourism and events for Shelby County and also serves as executive director of Leadership Shelby County.
Q: Tell us a bit about you.
A: I’ve lived in Shelby County for over 30 years and love raising my kids here. I have two children, a 13-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy, and we love hiking and playing in Oak Mountain State Park and just enjoying all the outdoor recreation that we have here.
Q: What’s the best part about living here?
A: We have all the things that encompass what makes up a great quality of life for residents. We have phenomenal schools for our children. We have great public safety, and then we have phenomenal outdoor recreation spots in our backyard, whether it’s Double Oak Park, Oak Mountain State Park or Carver Park. There is something for everybody.
Q: How did you decide to pursue your career?
A: I wouldn’t say that I actually pursued a career in tourism. Specifically, my career path between local credit unions, being the community liaison and then moving into the school board, it really just immersed me into the community at large. This opportunity came around for me to dive in even deeper and make a greater impact in our community.
Q: What’s something about you that people might be surprised to learn?
A: Overall, one thing that I think is interesting for people to learn is that one, I’m one of five children and we have lived here, like I said, for over 30 years. And at one point, all five of us were in five different schools within Shelby County. My older brothers graduated from Pelham High School, I graduated from Chelsea and then my little brother and sister graduated from Oak Mountain. And my parents have been in the same house since we moved here.
Q: If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
A: I’m not sure if I would change anything. I’m learning to embrace all that God has blessed me with and really trying to be thankful and appreciate every little aspect, even those parts that are difficult at times. But there’s a lot of growth and learning that can happen in the difficult times, as well.
