It is with great sadness that I share with the USF community the passing last month of School of Management Dean Emeritus Gary G. Williams, PhD.
Gary G. Williams was born in Salt Lake City and moved with his family to San Diego as a young boy. From an early age, he displayed leadership and dedication to service, serving as class president during his senior year of high school and earning the rank of Eagle Scout. That same spirit of service guided him into the U.S. Navy during the Korean War, where he served first in Honolulu as an aerial photographer and then in Washington, D.C., at the Naval Photo Center.
After his military service, Gary pursued higher education with vigor. He earned an undergraduate degree from San Diego State University in 1960, followed by a graduate degree in marketing in 1961. The following year, he began doctoral studies at Stanford University, focusing on marketing and consumer behavior; he was later accepted into the prestigious Sloan Program and eventually served as its director. As part of a cohort of PhD candidates and business leaders, he engaged in global study, including a formative visit to the former Soviet Union — an experience that deepened his understanding of international business and helped shape his global outlook.
Gary completed a PhD in 1966 and joined the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University the following year as the administrative director of executive education. His responsibilities steadily grew, and in 1969, he became assistant dean for admissions and financial aid; by 1973, he was appointed director of the MBA program and dean for student affairs — a role he held until 1986.
Throughout nearly two decades at Stanford University, Gary played a pivotal role in shaping the school’s values and direction. He was an early advocate for broadening access to business education — championing the admission of women, the underrepresented, and nontraditional students. In a retrospective article titled “The Women of the Class of ’72 Look Back, Nearly 50 Years Later,” the GSB (Stanford's Graduate School of Business) credited Gary with helping open the doors to a more inclusive generation of MBA students. “I was focused on admitting the very best people I could — and that was all,” he said in the interview.
He personally traveled to women’s colleges to encourage applicants, despite resistance. He recalled a visit to one exclusive Northeastern school where the dean assured him, “Oh my, no, none of our young ladies would ever want to go to business school.” But thanks to Gary’s persistence and vision, many did. One such student, Susan Phillips, later described his recruitment efforts as visionary.
Gary also worked to internationalize the GSB. His children recall that wherever the family traveled — Mexico, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong — they were warmly welcomed by former students whom he had helped bring into the MBA program and supported throughout their academic journeys.
“Gary was very forward-thinking,” Phillips reflected. “He is a hero to those of us who were not like the traditional Stanford University MBA students.”
In 1986, Gary was appointed dean of the McLaren School of Business and Management at the University of San Francisco, where he spent the next 20 years as a key leader in the university’s growth and success. His leadership was marked by ethical focus, academic rigor, and a deep commitment to global and socially responsible business education.
Trustee Emeritus Roger Salquist remembered with fondness his long friendship with Dean Williams: "Gary was responsible for my 30+ years of service to USF. He had a clear vision for the future of the USF School of Management and was tireless in seeking to realize that vision. He knew how to build enduring relationships. I loved Gary as a friend, mentor, and respected leader."
Incoming President Salvador D. Aceves '83, EdD '95 offered these reflections: "Dean Williams brought to USF his deep experience and leadership and a vision for business education that aligned beautifully with our Jesuit Catholic mission. He believed that business must be a force for good in the world. With ethical clarity, a global perspective, and compassion for the whole person, Gary helped build a business school that reflects the very best of who we are. His legacy is not only in the buildings and programs he helped create but in the generations of students he empowered to lead with conscience, competence, and compassion. On a personal level, Gary warmly welcomed me to the school and became a coach, a mentor, and a cherished and personal friend. He will always hold a special place in my heart.”
On the occasion of Dean Williams’ retirement in 2006, former Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Jim Wiser, PhD, offered the following tribute:
“Dr. Gary Williams, Dean of the School of Business and Management, has served the students, alumni, faculty, and staff of the school with great distinction since his appointment in 1986. He has fostered greater relationships with various elements of the business community and the school’s alumni through his ongoing and engaged work with five advisory boards. In addition, he has brought considerable visibility to the school through his extensive involvement with and leadership in the AACSB.
“Dean Williams has worked very hard to recruit, retain, and support a faculty and staff of exceptional quality. He has led the school through several extensive curricular and program revisions but has done so with a consistent focus upon the themes of ethics, social responsibility, and the development of an international and global perspective. He has worked to secure the resources necessary to maintain the level of academic excellence to which he and the faculty and staff of the school are committed. The most recent and obvious example of this is the newly completed construction of Malloy Hall.
“As Dean, Gary Williams has not only served as the chief academic officer of the school but he has also been a member of both the Provost's Council and the President's Leadership Team. In these roles he has been instrumental in charting the future course for the entire University. Indeed, USF is a better place to teach, work, and learn because of Gary’s many contributions over the last 19 years. For this, we are all deeply appreciative.”
Following his retirement from USF, Gary accepted an interim position with Dominican University, serving for two years as dean of the School of Business. He was instrumental in preparing the school for a successful application for AACSB accreditation.
Dean Emeritus Gary Williams’ legacy lives on through the countless students, colleagues, and institutions he impacted. His vision, integrity, and dedication to excellence in business education will be remembered and cherished by all who knew him.
He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Maryann Noble, and by his three children, Jean Williams Thomas (Royce Thomas) of Reno, Nevada, Jennifer Williams of Lisbon, Portugal, and Jason Williams (Laura Williams) of South Bend, Indiana. He leaves behind granddaughters Justine Longyear (CJ Longyear), Kelsey Thomas, and great-grandson Emerson Longyear, and his sister Jean Rogers. He is also survived by his former wife, Beverly Howell Williams.
In accordance with his wishes, no official memorial service will be held beyond a private family gathering. Notes of condolence may be sent to:
USF President’s Office
Attention: The Family of Dr. Gary G. Williams
2130 Fulton Street
San Francisco, CA 94117
Dean Williams will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and colleagues. We invite you to hold them in your thoughts and prayers during this time of loss.
Angélica Quiñónez, EdD
Director, University Ministry