Success stories like William Adams Jr.’s are often asked what made or inspired them to become a leader. Without hesitation, he credited his ultimate success to his family. “It starts with my family,” he said. “They instilled in me a work ethic, understanding, and a spirit of entrepreneurism. The germ of my success is my upbringing.”
Adams’ successful foundation was further cemented through his education. He earned a Bachelor of Science in industrial psychology and management from Ithaca College in 1973 and an Executive Master of Business Administration from Pace University in 1976.
Adams’ first professional duties were working for Johnson & Johnson. After honing his skills, he moved on to Herman Miller, where he held the position of director of corporate accounts from 1983 to 1986.
The Adams Group and Beyond
In 1987, Adams founded and served as chairman and chief executive officer of the Adams Group. He held this position until 1993, when he founded and became the chief executive officer at InfoSource from 1993 to 1996. During this time, he gained a reputation as a strategic thought leader.
Adams’ first major accomplishment was seeing InfoSource get acquired by Dell/Perot Systems in 1996. Between 1996 and 1998, he held the rank of strategic alliance adviser for Perot Systems.
In 1998, Adams again ventured out on his own to become the founder and principal of Consult WhiteSpace, a position he still holds now. Additionally, in 2017, he founded Targatek and still holds the rank of chief executive officer and chairman.
In these leadership positions, Adams performed duties such as reorganization, ensuring the companies in question understood important compliance issues, crafting boards of directors and boards of advisors, and making daily decisions regarding how each company should operate to the best of its resources.
The Key to Success
Adams stresses that he has been successful in such major leadership roles because he understands the difference between a manager and a leader.
“I realized that the key to succeed as a leader is to understand the dynamics of commanding the workplace and influencing the workforce to move forward,” he said.
Leaders cannot simply address what is happening now, but have the vision to see how such events will impact their companies.
Awards and Future Goals
Adams’ writing has been featured in numerous prominent magazines and has been recognized as one of the Five CEOs to Watch in 2023, as well as Chairperson of the Year, Best Technology and Workplace Transformation by Silicon Review, and CEO of the Year by CEO Monthly Magazine in both 2022 and 2023.
Adams co-founded the CancerKare Fund in 2017 and remains the organization’s director. He also finds time to enjoy a wide array of hobbies, including collecting classic cars and sports memorabilia, writing, and podcasting.
When asked to peek into the future, Adams hopes that those he works with continue to experience success and enjoy financial gains. On a personal level, he hopes to complete a book.
