Bruce Williams honored as Chamber’s 2005 Man of the Year
Gilroy – When Bruce Williams arrived in Gilroy, his face might as well have appeared on a “Wanted” poster. Fifteen years later, his name will adorn a plaque as the most valued man in the city.
Williams, who turns 64 today, has come a long way since he came to Gilroy to head Falcon Cable – the predecessor to Charter Communications that was a nightmare for subscribers. Those subscribers focused their wrath on one man for three years – a banker from Concord who decided to try his hand at a new profession.
“In that job you had to keep your sense of humor,” Williams said, recalling how he fielded a steady stream of calls from angry customers. “I think I kept my credibility because I was always honest with people.”
While his former employer has faded into history, Williams has quietly established himself as the go-to guy for good works.
On Feb. 4, the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce will honor Williams for a 15-year career of volunteerism by naming him Man of the Year for 2005.
Since moving to the Garlic Capital, Williams has assumed leadership roles for numerous groups, including the local chapter of the American Heart Association, the Boy Scouts and the Garlic Festival Association. In addition to volunteering year-round for numerous nonprofit groups, he serves on the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission.
“When I got to Gilroy I didn’t know a soul,” Williams said. “One thing led to another and I just kept getting more involved.”
Along the way, he’s earned the admiration of countless people.
“The thing about Bruce – he’s always there if you ask him to do something on a volunteer basis,” said Mayor Al Pinheiro, who met Williams 12 years ago. “He follows through when he says he’s going to do something and he’s the kind of guy that never says no.”
In addition to serving together in the past on the chamber of commerce board of directors, Pinheiro and Williams currently volunteer for the Gilroy Exchange Club. As the current chairman, Williams organized a holiday season food “pack-in” at the offices of Heritage Bank of Commerce, where he is branch manager. The effort helps bring food to 435 local families.
Williams also has spent many years as a member of the local Rotary Club, and now he’s helping others get involved by leading efforts to organize a “Sunrise” chapter for people whose schedules conflict with the Rotary’s weekly luncheon meetings.
But Williams is more than a behind-the-scenes organizer. He also gets involved in the ground-game for numerous causes. In the past he has dressed up as Santa Claus for the chamber’s holiday parade and more recently, he has collected tickets and auction money at the Festival of Lights, a fundraiser at Bonfante Gardens for Rebekah Children’s Services. The annual event, held for the third time at the beginning of December, raised more than $38,000 for the children’s group in each of its first two years.
Eleanor Villarreal, development director for Rebekah Children’s Services, has known Williams for almost 15 years.
“For three years in a row, he spent his entire first weekend in December helping with the Festival of Trees, not only as a volunteer but as a donor through Heritage Bank,” Villarreal said. “He also helps with the golf tournament in the spring. There are just so many things. He’s a volunteer extraordinaire.”
And between his community activities, Williams also finds time to visit family across the country and ride motorcycles.
As he reflected on the hectic schedule of the last 15 years, Williams recalled a quote that captured his philosophy on helping others: “You do something better than you have to, because you want to, for a cause that you think is just.”
