Forrest Williams, founder of Williams Supply, Inc.

Williams Supply, Inc., has been in the business of electrical supplies and lighting since 1946. The Roanoke, Va.-based company was started when Forrest Williams returned home from the war with surplus material and electrical contracting know-how.

From the get-go Williams, along with his nephew, acquired and sold products from reputable companies like Allen-Bradley, Hoffman, Micro Switch, Thomas & Betts and Hubbell. Over time, Williams Supply became a powerhouse in the electrical and lighting industry, and one of the largest electrical supply houses in Virginia.

In 1965, Williams Supply doubled its floor space by building a 13,000-square-foot addition that housed one of the largest fixture display rooms in the state.

When Williams retired in 1983, he sold the company to his employees through an Employee Stock Option Plan instead of to another conglomerate, thus showing his appreciation for their years of dedication to the company.

Today Williams remains an employee-owned company with four Williams Supply locations and two Williams Lighting Galleries’ showrooms, making it one of the largest distributors of electrical supplies and lighting products in the region.