The Leadership Journey of Margaret L. Williams
Margaret L. Williams is a name associated with two distinct yet equally notable paths of leadership, one grounded in academic achievement, the other in faith-based service. In the realm of business education, she is recognized as a respected scholar and the first woman to lead Texas Tech University’s Jerry S. Rawls College of Business. In ministry settings, another Margaret L. Williams has earned distinction through her work in church leadership and community outreach. Together, their stories highlight how dedication, integrity, and service can shape both institutions and the lives they touch.
Key Facts About Margaret L. Williams
| Facts | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Margaret L. Williams |
| Known For | Academic leadership; first woman Dean of Texas Tech’s Rawls College of Business |
| Education | B.S. Biology (Heidelberg University); MBA & Ph.D. in Management (Indiana University) |
| Major Roles | Dean, Rawls College of Business (Texas Tech); Dean, UND College of Business; Department Chair, Wayne State University |
| Research Areas | Leadership, employee motivation, compensation systems, organizational justice |
| Notable Honors | First female Rawls College Dean (2017); SMA President (2010); James G. Hunt SMA Award (2021) |
| Professional Service | AACSB Board of Directors (2024–2027 term); Southern Management Association leadership |
| Personal Life | Married to Larry; mother of two sons |
| Alternate Namesake | Another Margaret L. Williams: faith-based leader, Director of Staff at Mountain Life Church, board member at 21C International |
Early Life, Education, and Academic Formation
Margaret L. Williams’s academic journey began far from the world of business. She completed a B.S. in Biology in 1980 at Heidelberg University, demonstrating early curiosity and discipline across scientific and analytical fields. Yet she soon found her interests shifting toward organizational behavior, workplace dynamics, and the structures that influence human performance.
This shift brought her to Indiana University, where she earned both an MBA and a Ph.D. in Management. These graduate years formed the foundation of her scholarly identity, one rooted in empirical research, leadership theory, and the study of motivation, fairness, and performance in organizations. Her doctoral work propelled her into academia at a time when management scholarship was expanding rapidly in scope and influence.
A Career Built Across Leading Universities
Williams’s professional path is marked by a steady progression through faculty and administrative roles at several respected institutions. Early in her career, she served on the management faculties of:
- Purdue University
- University of Tennessee
- Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
- Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)
Her 13-year tenure at VCU was especially formative. There, she solidified her reputation as a thoughtful educator and productive scholar while contributing to departmental leadership and academic planning.
Her next significant leadership chapter unfolded at Wayne State University, where she became Chair of the Department of Management in 2010, later rising to Interim Dean of the School of Business Administration. These roles allowed her to engage more deeply with strategic decision-making, accreditation processes, faculty development, and the internal operations that shape a business school’s reputation and effectiveness.
Leadership at the University of North Dakota (2014–2017)
Williams’s administrative experience reached a level when she was appointed Dean of College of Business & Public Administration at the University of North Dakota (UND) in 2014. Over the next three years, she led the college through program expansions, faculty recruitment, and student-centered initiatives designed to strengthen academic impact.
Her time at UND earned broad respect. Provost Thomas DiLorenzo publicly praised her as “an outstanding leader,” citing her accomplishments in academic quality and organizational improvement. When she announced her departure in 2017, the university hosted a farewell reception to honor her contributions, a gesture reflecting her influence on the school’s trajectory.
Becoming the First Woman Dean of Texas Tech’s Rawls College of Business
In early 2017, Texas Tech University appointed Margaret L. Williams as Dean and Professor of Management at the Jerry S. Rawls College of Business, marking a historic first for the institution as she became the college’s inaugural female leader.
Assuming office in April 2017, she initiated a comprehensive strategic planning effort, working collaboratively with faculty, students, and external stakeholders. Her early priorities emphasized program innovation, enhanced research productivity, student achievement, community engagement, enrollment growth, and thoughtful resource development.
Her leadership quickly drew recognition across the university. Interim Provost Michael Galyean commended her “exceptional leadership” and “outstanding record as a scholar and educator,” highlighting her ability to maintain academic rigor while guiding the college with a forward-looking, progressive vision.
Research Contributions and Scholarly Influence
Beyond her administrative leadership, Williams is widely regarded as a distinguished management scholar. Her research examines leadership and employee motivation, compensation systems, and organizational justice, areas that reflect her interest in how individuals respond to workplace structures, incentives, and managerial choices. Her work has been published in leading journals, including the Academy of Management Journal, Human Resource Management, the Journal of Management, Journal of Management Education, and the Journal of Applied Psychology.
Her influence also extends to professional service. Williams has served as President of the Southern Management Association, where she played a key role in supporting faculty development and advancing management research on a national scale.
Personal Life and Values
Williams’s professional life is complemented by a grounded personal story. She grew up as the daughter of a pastor, moving from Florida to Ohio during childhood. This upbringing instilled a sense of stability, service, and purpose that would later influence her approach to academic leadership.
Williams and her husband, Larry, have been together for more than 40 years. Throughout her faculty and administrative career, they raised two sons, balancing professional responsibilities with family life, a challenge familiar to many in academia.
While her salary as a public university dean is publicly available, approximately $485,087 in 2025, according to Texas records, no verifiable information exists regarding her personal net worth. Beyond her compensation disclosures, Williams maintains a private financial profile.
A Different Leader with the Same Name: Margaret L. Williams of 21C International
Alongside the academic administrator, another individual named Margaret L. Williams has gained recognition for her contributions to faith-based leadership and community service.
This Margaret L. Williams, based in Midway, Utah and originally from Kimball, South Dakota, serves on the board of 21C International, a Christian nonprofit dedicated to training and supporting church leaders worldwide. Her life reflects a different, yet equally meaningful, form of leadership rooted in ministry, compassion, and humanitarian response.
Faith and Ministry Work
In her faith community, Williams is known for founding a Crisis Response Team, which she led for nearly a decade. She organized disaster relief trips across the United States and coordinated trauma-counseling programs with local law enforcement in Utah-work that blends spiritual support with practical community aid.
Professional and Personal Background
Before entering ministry leadership, she built a successful career as a financial executive, working across the banking and investment sectors. This grounding in organizational and financial management later shaped her approach to faith-based leadership. She now serves as Director of Staff at Mountain Life Church, where she helps guide daily operations and supports the church’s spiritual and community-centered programs.
Her personal life holds equal significance. She and her husband, Roger, have cultivated a close-knit family rooted in service and purpose. Their son is an ophthalmologist at Duke University, their daughter is a surgical nurse, and they are proud grandparents to three grandchildren.
Honors, Recognition, and Lasting Impact
Across both individuals named Margaret L. Williams, contributions to leadership and service stand out prominently.
For the academic administrator, her most notable recognitions include:
| Year | Award / Recognition | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | President, Southern Management Association | Elected to lead the SMA after years of service. |
| 2017 | First Woman Dean, Rawls College of Business | Became the first female dean at Texas Tech’s business college. |
| Nov 4, 2021 | James G. Hunt SMA Sustained Outstanding Service Award | Highest honor from the Southern Management Association. |
| 2024–2027 | AACSB Board of Directors (Term begins July 1, 2024) | Elected to serve on the global accrediting body’s board. |
Her ability to combine scholarship with leadership has shaped multiple business schools, elevated academic programs, and influenced countless students and faculty.
Meanwhile, the board member of 21C International represents a different but equally meaningful tradition of leadership, one grounded in faith, compassion, and community impact.
Conclusion
The story of Margaret L. Williams, in both her academic and ministry contexts, demonstrates the diverse forms leadership can take. In the world of management scholarship, Williams of Texas Tech has built a distinguished career marked by research excellence, administrative vision, and a historic place as the first woman to lead the Rawls College of Business. Her steady guidance, strategic insight, and commitment to academic progress continue to shape business education in transformative ways.
