Company History
For over 100 years, Williams & Williams has partnered with the end users (buyers and sellers) of real property. For four consecutive years our sales have grown over 100% annually, and today we are the world''s premier real estate auctioneer.
And we’re just getting started.
Milestones
1957
- 16-year-old Thomas "Tommy" L. Williams graduates from the historic Reppert School of Auctioneering to join the distinguished ranks of Williams family auctioneers, dating back to the mid-1800s.
1965
- With a degree in hand from Penn State University and a career in national cattle shows and livestock judging well underway, Tommy Williams moves his young family to Colmar, Illinois, where he develops a purebred Angus cattle herd and forms Lowderman & Williams Auctioneers with partner Jack Lowderman.
1977
- From offices in Macomb, Illinois, Lowderman & Williams Auctioneers emerges as one of the preeminent farm, ranch and estate auction companies in the Midwest, achieving several record-setting land sales that receive national attention.
1986
- Dean Williams and Tommy Williams establish Williams & Williams Auctioneers in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The firm specializes in selling large farms, ranches and notable residences throughout the Midwest, Northeast and Southeast, with over 1,000 privately owned homes sold in the Tulsa area alone.
1993
- Williams & Williams creates a private real estate fund that invests in rural properties throughout the United States. Open Lands, Inc., completes successful transactions in over 20 states, with over $100,000,000 in total sales.
2000
Williams & Williams conducts several prestigious private owner sales:
- 9 Bar, originally developed by the Cox family outside Houston, Texas, sells for $10,000,000.
- Woods and Water, the historic William G. Skelly estate outside Tulsa, Oklahoma, sells for $8,500,000.
- World-renowned Arabian equestrian facility L’Esprit, outside Louisville, Kentucky, sells for $7,250,000.
- All real estate holdings of Texas Land Group, LLC, which totaled $27,000,000.
2003
Company opens REO (Real Estate Owned) Sales Division:
- Program provides services to the nation’s largest banking institutions for the disposition of foreclosed property.
- Program includes all management, marketing and brokerage from security and preservation through sale, on a 75-day timeline from assignment to closing.
- Program utilizes ‘dynamic’ pricing through competitive bidding (auctions) vs. a ‘static’ (list price) strategy to achieve superior client results.
2004
- REO disposition volume triples from previous year.
- Company pioneers and launches eContracting, allowing electronic contract completion at all auction sites.
- Company deploys nationwide security services to facilitate auction open houses.
2005
- Pam McKissick named Chief Operating Officer.
- Company launches national strategic brand program, including new logo design and multi-level advertising campaign.
- Q3 marked by record volume.
- New company division and revenue stream focused on corporate relocation is introduced.
- Growth in fiduciary sales necessitates addition of full-time General Counsel and Human Resource Director.
- Company develops Williams & Williams’ PRO (Preferred Realtor Organization) to enhance client and corporate relationships with Realtors.
- CEO Dean C. Williams named Future Leader by Mortgage Banking Association.
2006
- Company achieves exponential growth by setting record of 1,100 properties in one month.
- ASAP (Assisted Sales Auction Program) created to address lenders’ need for pre-foreclosure loss mitigation solutions.
- Simultaneous On Location and Online Auctions allows prospective buyers to bid on real estate from home computers.
- Advanced interactive and keyword search-driven website expands company’s influence in consumer markets.
- Staff doubles in wake of triple-digit revenue and volume growth.
- Executive Research and Retail Marketing VP, VP of Operations and VP of Information Technology positions added to continue expansion plans and service growing client base.
- Sophisticated call center and seasoned customer service representatives added to meet call volumes.
- Company co-founder and Chairman Tommy Williams named President- Elect of National Auctioneers Association, the industry’s largest trade organization with 6,500 active members.
2007
- WW sold ¾ of a billion dollars in real estate in 2007.
- WW doubled the volume of properties auctioned in 2007 compared to 2006.
- Despite declining home values in the market, WW median home value auctioned rose over 56%.
- Marketing efforts drew in over 28% more bidders per property in 2007 compared to 2006.
- Closing performance improved by 7.5%, from 34.6 days in 2006 to 32 days in 2007, on average.