Michael L. Williams
Michael Lawrence Williams (born May 31, 1953) is an American educator and attorney who is the former Education Commissioner of the U.S. state of Texas, in which capacity he was leader of the Texas Education Agency. Williams was appointed to the position on August 27, 2012, by then Governor Rick Perry. On October 15, 2015, Williams announced that he would step down as Education Commissioner at the end of the year to return to the private sector.
Michael Lawrence Williams | |
|---|---|
| Commissioner of the Texas Education Agency | |
| In office August 27, 2012 – December 31, 2015 | |
| Governor | Rick Perry (2012–2015) Greg Abbott (2015) |
| Preceded by | Robert Scott |
| Succeeded by | Mike Morath (Jan 4) |
| Texas Railroad Commissioner | |
| In office January 3, 1999 – March 31, 2011 | |
| Governor | George W. Bush (1999–2000) Rick Perry (2000–2011) |
| Preceded by | Carole Keeton Strayhorn |
| Succeeded by | Barry Smitherman |
| Assistant Secretary of Education for the Office for Civil Rights | |
| In office 1990–1993 | |
| President | George H. W. Bush |
| Preceded by | LeGree S. Daniels |
| Succeeded by | Norma V. Cantu |
| Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Law Enforcement | |
| In office April 1989 – 1990 | |
| President | George H. W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Gerald L. Hilsher |
| Succeeded by | Nancy L. Worthington |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 31, 1953 Midland, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Donna Nelson |
| Residence(s) | Arlington, Texas |
| Alma mater | University of Southern California |
| Profession | Lawyer, Politician |
Williams is also a former member of the elected Texas Railroad Commission, a regulatory body that oversees the oil and natural gas industries. He is the first African American to hold a statewide elected executive office in Texas history. He was appointed to the commission by then-Governor George W. Bush in 1999, and won elections in 2000, 2002, and 2008 to retain the office before eventually resigning in 2011. He is one of six African Americans to hold statewide office such as Louis Sturns, Morris Overstreet, Wallace B. Jefferson, Dale Wainwright and Jesse McClure. Williams is also the fourth African American to be elected to statewide office overall, following Overstreet, Jefferson and Wainwright.
On May 29, 2012, Williams ran unsuccessfully in the Republican primary for the redrawn 25th congressional district seat that stretches southward from Tarrant to Hays counties.