Evan Williams
“TEC is as valuable today as it was to me twenty years ago,” says TEC Chair Evan Williams. “As the group shares problems and opportunities, the successes are increased and the number of ‘surprise experiences’ are reduced. The old saying is ‘two heads are better than one’; in TEC you have ten to fifteen heads—that is powerful.”
Evan fully understands the meaning of being a CEO and a self-made entrepreneur—one who owns the responsibility of signing the paycheques and also signing at the bank. He began his association with TEC Canada as a member of the first group in British Columbia, and he found TEC to be a worthwhile investment of time and money. His TEC experience motivated him to give back to the community by becoming a Chair in 2006.
Self-taught street smarts are the result of Evan’s diverse business experience. He started work at age 17 in BC logging camps, and also spent a year in the RCAF pilot training but washed out due to airsickness. His multifaceted career includes working in sales for life insurance and equipment. He developed leadership abilities as the general sales manager for a large truck dealership with 14 branches and 400 employees, and as president and general manager for a heavy equipment manufacturing company. Evan also owned an International and Mack truck dealership, developed commercial real estate, and managed his own real estate holdings. When he first joined TEC Canada, Evan was the Mack truck distributor for the BC lower mainland, grossing $20,000,000 in sales annually with 60 employees.
Evan’s contributions extend into his community with leadership roles in Kiwanis, Toastmasters, his local golf club, the public library system, and the Victoria Commonwealth Games. He has also served as a city councilor and is a member of the National Association of Parliamentarians.
Evan and his wife, Marion, have been married for 53 years. They have three children and seven grandchildren. In retirement, Evan enjoys working with his TEC group, continuing to manage his own investments and playing golf.
