Columbia Business Monthly is honoring the most influential people in the Midlands region. For the second time (2020, 2024), SDG President Mark Williams was named to the list. This selection of 50 men and women is the result of the publication staff research and community nominations. Individuals are chosen for making their mark in finance, education, the arts, and more.
January 2024- Mark Williams, Founder and President, Strategic Development Group, Inc.
Mark Williams founded Strategic Development Group, Inc. in 1999 in the historic Sylvan Building on Columbia’s Main Street. The firm conducts site selection across the U.S. and advises public officials, railroads, and utilities on economic development matters.
Strategic Development Group also provides incentive-negotiation services to medium and large U.S. and foreign firms establishing manufacturing and headquarters facilities.
Prior to starting SDG, Williams served as chief development officer for the South Carolina Department of Commerce. A 45-year resident of Columbia. Wiliams is a past president of the South Carolina Economic Developers Association and past chair of the Site Selectors Guild.
Williams’ company has worked with numerous high-profile clients, including BMW, Bowing, and Bridgestone.
Williams earned his bachelor’s and MBA degrees from University of South Carolina and went on to the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute. He is a certified economic developer and recently published his first business book, “Site Selection and Economic Development a 30-Year Perspective.”
