Dave Williams recognized with Gary Martin Outstanding City Employee Award

Garrett Bowers presented the Ponca City Chamber of Commerce’s Gary Martin City Employee of the Year award Monday night at the City Commission meeting at City Hall.

This year’s recipient was Dave Williams, Technology Services Director.

The award recognizes a full time employee of the City of Ponca City who has achieved significant and general recognition as an outstanding community leader over a period of time and who is recognized as having made significant contributions to the community in more than one area of endeavor. These areas include the Chamber of Commerce, city volunteer activities, charitable organizations, business efforts and others.

This award recognizes City Employees not only for doing a great job as an employee, but for their efforts in making Ponca City a great place to live.

Williams has been the Technology Services Director since November of 2016.

Prior to coming to work for the City of Ponca City, Dave was a Technical Consultant from 2010 to 2016, Director of Information Systems/Information Security Officer at Ponca City Medical Center from 2007 to 2010, Financial Information Systems Director for Harborview Medical Center from 1999 to 2007, and Patient Care Information Systems Manager for Harborview Medical Center from 1995 to 1999.

Williams received an Associate of Arts Degree in Computerized Office Technology from Centralia Community College in 1985, an Associate of Technical Arts Degree in Software Applications from Centralia Community College in 1986, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Information Management from Thornewood University in 1999.

Williams’ respectfulness, patience, and responsiveness are appreciated by those he works with  (both “techies” and “non-techies” alike).

His conscientiousness, courageousness, and perseverance are appreciated by those connected to the Fiber to the Home Project (also known as Ponca City Broadband) and those who want to be connected to Ponca City Broadband.

Williams’ compassion and helpfulness are appreciated by those who have been blessed by his volunteerism as a Ponca City Helping Hands Founder and Director, Citizens’ Police Academy Alumni member and treasurer, a Ponca City Police Extra Eyes Volunteer, a church choir Singer, a Ponca City Noon AMBUC Member, and a Leadership Ponca City Alumni Member.

He raised five boys – Chris, Josh, Greg, Matthew, and Nick, and has five grandchildren.  They all live in the Seattle/Los Angeles areas.

Williams’ wife Becky says it best.  She says, “I just know that whatever he does, he does it with all his heart and soul.”

On accepting the award, Williams said his connections to Ponca City run deep. He was born in Ponca City and raised here until the family moved to the Pacific Northwest.

For the last 100 years, he said, he has had a relative working for the City of Ponca City. He praised all city departments and said “It’s like working with champions.”