Meridian Technology Center Board of Education member, Dr. Joe Williams, has been awarded the Oklahoma State School Board Association’s Distinguished Service Award.

Williams has served on Meridian’s Board of Education since 2004. During his tenure the district has seen significant growth through opening a second campus, implementing rigorous curriculum and adding new programs for students.

“Receiving this recognition is a great honor for me,” Williams said. “For 19 years it has been a privilege to represent the stakeholders of my district. Being a part of the Meridian Technology Center Board of Education continues to be a rewarding experience.”

Legacy of Service

His life and career had been in the academic setting. He has witnessed first-hand how education has the ability to change lives. Williams believes that whether a student is college or career bound, all students within the Meridian Technology Center district should have equal access to training enabling them to be work ready.

“As a member of the board, Dr. Williams helps shape the direction of the school,” said Dr. Douglas Major, Meridian Superintendent/CEO. “He plays an instrumental role in the development of school policies and is one of the final decision-makers on educational issues that impact our partner communities.”

Williams was also essential in opening the school’s Construction Trades building in 2013. This facility houses the classroom and lab space for the Meridian’s Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, Carpentry, Electrical Technology and Energy and Power programs.

“Meridian relies on the input and knowledge that a board member like Dr. Williams provides to prepare a trained workforce for not only the Meridian district but also the state of Oklahoma,” Major said.

​​Williams and his wife, Sue, established a scholarship through the Meridian Technology Center Foundation. The Williams’s specifically requested funds for the scholarship be non-restrictive and used to assist a financially limited student in gaining the technical skills to succeed in the workplace.

About Meridian

Meridian Technology Center has been a driver of economic development since 1975. With a mission to educate, enrich lives and secure economic futures, Meridian offers full-time career training programs, short courses, workforce and economic development assistance and entrepreneurial support to residents from the Agra, Carney, Glencoe, Guthrie, Morrison, Mulhall-Orlando, Pawnee, Perkins-Tryon, Perry and Stillwater school districts. The school has locations in Stillwater and Guthrie. Meridian is one of 29 schools within Oklahoma’s CareerTech system.

For more information or to enroll, visit meridiantech.edu or contact a career counselor by phone at (405) 377-3333 or toll-free at (888) 607-2509.