USAV and NORCECA Mourns Passing of Dave Williams

COLORADO SPRINGS - USA Volleyball is deeply saddened to confirm the passing of Dave Williams, its managing director of beach programs. He was also member of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Commission.

Williams, a native of Brilliant, Ohio, and resident of Hermosa Beach, Calif., died Tuesday (May 14) with his family by his side in a Southern California hospital after a short battle with cancer. He was 55.

“USA Volleyball has lost a wonderful employee, a wonderful human being and a dear friend with Dave’s passing today,”

 said USA Volleyball CEO Doug Beal. “I am having a terribly hard time digesting and accepting that Dave will not grace us with his wit, energy, passion and love of life anymore.”

Williams joined USA Volleyball as managing director of beach programs in April of 2010. He is the only person to have held the position, which was created by the USA Volleyball Board of Directors in January 2010 as part of its initiative to create short- and long-term growth for beach volleyball.

“Dave brought so much passion and creativity to our staff and to the sport,” Beal said. “He was just a joy to be around; and I am thankful to have had that opportunity more than many. In his too short time with USAV he became a committed voice for the sport and a great advocate for the Olympic movement and the national governing body’s function in that movement.”

Williams came to USA Volleyball from the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP), where he served in several senior management positions: director of tour operations, director of marketing development and, most recently, vice president of operations. Williams produced more than 150 events for the AVP.

Prior to joining the AVP, Williams served as the managing director of The Women’s Professional Volleyball Association in 1997-98.

Williams worked as executive vice president of sales & marketing for 3D Shopping / O2 Essential Marketing Technology, a publicly traded web hosting and marketing company that was the exclusive 3D image provider to Yahoo Shopping. He held executive management positions with Café Au Lait, Vie De France Bakery Corporation, Mauna Loa, and Pepsi.

Williams received his bachelor of arts degree in marketing and organizational communications from The Ohio State University in 1981 and was a life member of Ohio State’s President’s Club. He was a founder of the Manhattan Beach Open Dinner of Champions.