Guild Member Profile

Past Chair

Mark Williams

President

Strategic Development Group, Inc.
Columbia, SC

As Founder and President of Strategic Development Group, Mark Williams specializes in manufacturing and office facility site selection and negotiation for mid-to large-size US and multinational corporations in chemical, automotive and transportation, distribution, life science, and steel sectors.

Prior to founding Strategic Development Group, Mark served as Chief Development Officer for the South Carolina Department of Commerce, where he directed South Carolina’s domestic and global business recruitment activities, including the operation of Commerce’s international offices in Frankfurt and Tokyo. He has served as an advisor to US governors, mayors, legislators, and directors of state development agencies in matters related to business retention, strategic planning, and target marketing initiatives.

GEOGRAPHIC AREAS SERVED
North America
Industries
Automotive Medical and Life Sciences Chemicals and Plastics
Logistics, Warehouse and Distribution Forestry, Minerals, Metal
PAST CLIENTS
BMW Bridgestone British Petroleum (BP)
Indorama Tupperware Eastman
Kraton Sumiden Commercial Metals Company
JTEKT Firestone
PERSONAL NOTE

He chaired the former American Economic Development Council’s Certification Board, which certified professional economic developers in the US and Canada, and was President of the South Carolina Economic Developers Association. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree with a focus in mathematics and civil engineering and an MBA from the University of South Carolina and is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute.

Mark is currently an active member and Past Chairman of the Site Selectors Guild, a professional association comprised of the world’s most respected site selection consultants, and is a frequent US and international speaker on site selection trends.

INSIGHTS FROM MARK
RELATED LINKS