Ken Williams combines leadership, financial acumen to help chart company’s path toward continued customer satisfaction, profitability
Ken Williams, an engineer and financial leader with deep business development, strategy and risk management experience, has become Black & Veatch’s new Chief Financial Officer. He replaces Karen Daniel, who retired in July after a quarter century at Black & Veatch including the last 18 years as its CFO.
A Kansas City native who received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in aerospace engineering from the University of Kansas, Williams rejoins Black & Veatch after previously serving as its Treasurer from 2010 to 2012. That role saw Williams leading the company’s global cash management and investment activities, managing partner relationships with commercial and investment banks, and supporting the company’s mergers and acquisition activity.
A veteran of the infrastructure market, his professional experience includes several roles with the global engineering and construction company Fluor, where he was CFO of its $2 billion government services business unit. He returns to Black & Veatch from Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, where he served as President and Chief Executive Officer for the nonprofit organization.
“I’m proud to rejoin a team that is tightly focused on meeting customer expectations and, ultimately, profitability for its professionals and employee shareholders,” Williams said. “Our status as a 100 percent employee-owned company carries a unique obligation to build on our success and keep it going well into the future.”
As CFO, Williams follows Daniel, widely recognized as a strong leader within the company and the community who led many efforts to profitably grow the company. During her tenure, she was involved in numerous volunteer activities across Kansas City, named Vice Chair of President Obama’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa and was named The Kansas City Business Journal’s CFO of the Year.
“Our company has been fortunate to have two extremely influential leaders working to chart the future of our business and communicate those plans effectively to our employee-owners,” said Steve Edwards, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Black & Veatch. “Karen’s legacy will be with us long into her retirement, while Ken can build upon our strong financial condition and practices as we work to meet the high expectations of our customers and drive innovation across the infrastructure and emerging markets we serve.”
Editor's Notes:
Please click here to download a high-resolution photograph of Ken Williams.
Media Contact Information:
CHRISTOPHER CLARK | +1 913-458-2778 P | +1 816-674-0572 M | ClarkCA@bv.com
24-HOUR MEDIA HOTLINE | +1 866 496 9149
About Black & Veatch
Black & Veatch is an employee-owned, global leader in building critical human infrastructure in Energy, Water, Telecommunications and Government Services. Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people in over 100 countries through consulting, engineering, construction, operations and program management. Our revenues in 2018 were US$3.5 billion. Follow us on social media.
