Jonathan Williams

N.C. Water Business Team Leader for Garver, an engineering, planning, architectural, and environmental services firm headquartered in North Little Rock, AR
Mayor of Spencer, NC

Native of Rowan County

Industry: Water Resources Engineering/Municipal Government

Jonathan Williams is fully engaged in the Town of Spencer. He’s having a great time as mayor for the last three years, and Spencer is his choice for Rowan County restaurants, outdoor spaces and events. Still, as a Rowan County native, he appreciates the county as a whole, seeing it as “open for business and a great place to live, work, and play,” he says.

He suggests that newcomers to Rowan take a Saturday and drive to each area of the county “to get the full grasp … to see the uniqueness pf each different community … to see the spirit of community and the pride people take in each of the areas. Each community is original,” he says.  “it’s amazing how entrepreneurial the county is. For what is really a rural county, Rowan County has more quality visitor attractions than anywhere else in the region.”

He describes himself and his wife Meredith, a native of Spencer, as truly Rowan Originals. “The story of us is a Rowan Original,” he says. They met through their involvement in county science fairs, and after college, lived in metro Charlotte. “We realized that Rowan County was an amazing place to raise a family which is why we moved back.”

They have three children, Ashton, 11, and Jackson, 9, both students at Salisbury Academy, and Charlotte, 3, a pre-school student at First Presbyterian of Salisbury. Jonathan is an assistant Scoutmaster and Cub Scout den leader for Troop 443 at their home church, St. John’s Lutheran of Salisbury. He is a youth sports coach for his sons’ teams, a member of the Rowan Rotary Club, serves on the board and Campaign Cabinet of United Way of Rowan County, and is a board member for One Love Services, a clinic serving mental health and substance abuse needs. He works full-time as a water resources engineer for the consulting firm, Garver, leading their North Carolina water and wastewater practice.

Still, he devotes himself to the needs of the Town of Spencer. He almost didn’t run for the office of mayor, and still says he is not a politician. “I didn’t get into politics,” he says. “I got into municipal leadership. In a town of 3,200 people, we try to keep the politics out it and make things better.” 

He entered his first election because he saw a need and with his background in engineering and project management, he thought that he could help. “Let’s just call it what it was — a calling from God that the community needed me,” he says. “And I have been more deeply rewarded by the experience than I could have ever imagined. Serving as mayor of Spencer and being a water resources engineer allow me to interact with our community on so many different levels, so many different groups of people, and so many different organizations and projects.”

He is a graduate of West Rowan High School and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from Clemson University. Meredith, a former principal of North Rowan High School, works for the Department of Education at Catawba College.

Jonathan’s favorite restaurant is Pinocchio’s of Spencer. “They’ve been around a long time, even under different names. In high school, I remember going there as an English class and how neat it was. We know the owners, Anthony and Amy, and we knew the previous owner. They treat us like family, and it’s delicious food.”

The Fred and Alice Stanback Educational Forest and Nature Preserve, or Spencer Woods, is his favorite outdoor space. “We’re fortunate enough to live right around the corner from the preserve,” he says. “It’s neat to go for a walk or run, and I can get there very quickly. It’s quiet, isolated and you feel like you’re a million miles away from everything. It’s a really neat atmosphere. The 50 acres is about be 100 acres since the (Three Rivers) Land Trust is expanding it and turning it over to the town.”

His favorite, event, Spencer’s Winterfest Holiday Celebration, grew out of the community working together. Beth Nance, who owns the N.C. Museum of Dolls, Toys & Miniatures in Spencer, first had the idea for a German Christmas event. That morphed into folks saying, “We really need a signature holiday event.” Sherry Mason Brown, Kim Lentz, and Corrine Mauldin were the driving force,” Jonathan says.  “Those ladies made it happen. This year, we’re adding an ice-skating rink. It’s neat to see the community come together. Folks come from across the county and other folks come from the Polar Express at the N.C. Transportation Museum in Spencer. They even come in their pajamas. It’s like a Hallmark event.” It’s now a Spencer tradition and is held on the first two weekends of December.

His heart belongs to Spencer, but he sees his town as collaborating with all of Rowan County. “Rowan County is the place where dreams become a reality,” he says.