Dick Williams (executive)

For other people named Richard Williams, see Richard Williams (disambiguation).

Dick Williams (born ca. 1971) is an American professional baseball executive and the senior vice president and general manager of the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball. Before his promotion, announced on November 4, 2015, he was the Reds' vice-president and assistant general manager, working under Walt Jocketty, president of baseball operations.

Williams is a graduate of the University of Virginia. He was an Echols Scholar at UVA, giving him priority to sign up for any class. He worked as an investment banker and from 2003–04 for the George W. Bush presidential re-election campaign. He joined the Reds in 2006, upon their purchase by a group led by majority owner Robert Castellini, as director of baseball business operations. He later became vice president of baseball operations and then was named vp/assistant GM in November 2014.

The Williams family's official connection with the Reds dates back almost 50 years. Dick Williams' grandfather, William J. Sr., and great-uncle James were key members of a 13-party ownership group headed by Francis L. Dale, publisher of the Cincinnati Enquirer, that acquired the team from Bill DeWitt Sr. in December 1966, initially holding 15 percent of club stock. Under this ownership, and led by general manager Bob Howsam, the Reds became a baseball dynasty during the early 1970s as "The Big Red Machine." William and James Williams served as the majority owners of the Reds from 1980–84; they sold controlling interest in the franchise to Marge Schott in December 1984. Dick Williams' father, Joe, and an uncle, Thomas, are minority shareholders in Castellini's ownership group. Joe Williams is the club's incumbent board chairman and Tom is vice-chairman and treasurer.