Charlie Williams, Jr. took over as director of the Defense Contract Management Agency May 4, 2008. Born in Nashville, Williams earned a bachelors of science degree from Middle Tennessee State University and a master’s degree from Tennessee State University. Williams began his government career in 1982. After graduating from the Air Force Logistics Command Mid-Level Management Training Program, he worked as a senior buyer and contracting officer for F100 and TF39 engines at Kelly Air Force Base in Texas. From 1984 to 1987, he was an analyst in the Resources and Analysis Division of the Headquarters Air Force Logistics Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. Williams then spent a year in the private sector at General Electric’s Aircraft Engines Division in Cincinnati. He returned to Wright-Patterson as the director of business strategy in the Acquisition Logistics Division, and then moved up to chief of the Logistics Support Contracting Division in 1990 and to deputy chief for resources, management and analysis for Air Force Material Command in 1992. In 1996, he earned a second master’s degree, this time in national resource management from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. Back at Wright-Patterson, Williams was technical advisor to the Chief of Contracting Policy before spending several years at U.S. Air Force Headquarters in Washington, D.C. as team leader of the Program Executive Officer and Designated Acquisition Commander programs, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Associate Deputy Secretary for Contracting and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Contracting. He was also the U.S. member of NATO’s Airborne Early Warning and Control Programme Board of Directors.