John P. Williams, 78, retired long-tenured head of the Greater Cincinnati Chamber, died over weekend

John P. Williams, a Newport resident and head of the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce for 17 years, died over the weekend. He was 78.

Williams was an attorney with Taft, Stettinius & Hollister when he took a three-year leave from his law practice to run the Cincinnati Chamber in 1984. He liked it so much that he stayed for 17 years.

He was born in Cincinnati but spent his early years in Dayton, Ohio. He received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University and a law degree from the University of Cincinnati.

John Williams

A year after graduation, he began active duty with the United States Marine Corps where he was an infantry officer, commanding a rifle company in Vietnam and receiving a Bronze Star with Combat “V” and two Purple Hearts.

After his military service, he came back to his law practice with Taft and became a partner in 1977.

In 1984 he joined the Chamber where he made his mark as a collaborator who brought people together and was committed to downtown development and regional cooperation. He developed support for a sales tax levy that would keep Cincinnati a Major League community by building Paul Brown Stadium and the Great American Ball Park.

“Cincinnati is a big little city,” Williams once told an interviewer. “Big enough to have big city amenities and small enough that people work together to address our challenges, get things done and make a difference.”





When Williams retired from the Chamber in 2001, he and wife Francie traveled the world by plane, train, automobile, motorcycle and a 25-foot Airstream trailer, but he said Greater Cincinnati is “where we always return with joy.”

“John was a true community servant,” said long-time friend Bill Butler, CEO of Corporex.” Being a lawyer did not allow him to fulfill his need to move the community forward so he became the head of the Regional Chamber of Commerce. In this capacity. he was truly a true wider region advocate, a vibrant leader and team player too.”

He was kind and patient, too.

“I was fortunate to experience John’s kindness over the past decade or so. When I think of John Williams, I think of the term “class.” He was sharp, patient, and probably most importantly, he was a builder in everything he did. Thank God for John Williams,” Kenton County Judge-Executive Kris Knockelmann wrote in a Facebook post.

Many who know Williams would agree. He was the consummate gentleman and a leader who listened and persuaded.

“John was one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet,” said NKY Chamber President Brent Cooper. “He always had a smile, a kind word, and truly wanted to help you if he could.

“He was a true regional leader. He saw the big picture, and worked hard every day to leave our community better than he found it. He will be missed by everyone, on both sides of the river.”

Williams was a member of the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Newport.

His funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Christ Church Cathedral in Cincinnati.

Williams was named a Great Living Cincinnatian in 2017. Here is the video celebrating that distinguished honor: