Butzel Chief Information Officer David Williams has been named a recipient of the 2026 Society for Information Management (SIM) Detroit Vanguard Award, which recognizes senior technology leaders who are transforming business, building exceptional teams, and shaping the future of Southeast Michigan.
For more than two decades, Williams has been immersed in the information technology industry. Recognized for his innovative approach to providing practical, efficient, and economical IT solutions to organizations, he effectively directs all IT operations for Butzel’s nine office locations throughout the country.
As Butzel’s CIO and a member of the C-suite, Williams is responsible for ensuring up-to-date and secure IT systems are in place for the firm’s employees and clients.
Since joining Butzel in February of 2024, Williams has “revolutionized” the IT department by establishing a team of innovative and customer service-focused individuals. This has fostered a “build before buy” mindset, leading to “significant” changes in process workflows and efficiency gains for menial tasks. Leveraging the teams’ collective expertise and technical acumen, Williams and his team have brought automation and data analytics to the forefront, improving decision-making processes. Further, he emphasizes cross-department collaboration to ensure that no facet of the organization is overlooked.
Williams has overhauled the company’s infrastructure and cybersecurity posture, implementing new policies that not only align with but often exceed industry standards like the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Prior to joining Butzel, Williams served in executive-level IT leadership roles in the automotive, health care, supply chain, and finance industries.
Williams earned a B.S. in Information Technology from the University of Phoenix and an Associate degree in Design Engineering from the University of Michigan – Flint.
