New York honours "phenomenal" T&T businesswoman who is from Penal

Penal native Dolly Williams and David Millner, President of the New York Society of Architects (NYSA)

The New York Society of Architects has honoured a Trinidad and Tobago national, Mrs. Dolly Williams, who is originally from Penal, South Trinidad. 

Williams is President and CEO of A. Williams Construction, one of New York City’s minority owned companies that started as a trucking business and grew to the level of a general contractor and small developer, performing work both in the public and private sectors.

Last week, Trinidad and Tobago’s Consul General in New York, Nan Ramgoolam was on hand to congratulate Williams when the Society presented the ‘Distinguished Achievement Award’ to Williams at it's 106th Annual Awards Dinner held at the Tribeca Rooftop in Manhattan, NY.

Williams also received at the function a Citation from the Brooklyn President, Marty Markowitz, for her contribution to the development of New York State.

The society described Mrs. Williams as a “Phenomenal Woman”.

Williams is President and CEO of a family owned business that has operated out of Brooklyn for the last 34 years. Her company specializes in Excavation/Foundation and General Construction work.

Her company worked on the Bronx Criminal Court Foundation, one of the largest done in New York City and the Medgar Evers College Student Service Center, where the company gave opportunities to many Brooklyn based minority and women owned businesses.

She has said the experience of working on major projects in the big city “shows that Trinidad and Tobago nationals as well as minority contractors are capable of building total projects anywhere in the world, once given the opportunity, something never contemplated by anyone in the Big Apple.”

Dolly and her Company have received numerous industry and civic awards including Crains New York Business of the Year, SBA Contractor of the Year Award, New York State Department of Commerce, as well as many Gubernatorial, Congressional, and Mayoral awards.

Mrs. Williams has also served on many Boards in the City and was a New York City Planning Commissioner for five years. During this time she was instrumental in making decisions that changed the landscape of the city. Dolly, as she is fondly known, always supports sustainable development and is an advocate of affordable housing.

“There are lots of projects to be built and many more people to help,” she said. “I want to provide jobs and help the community just a little more, and to be a good role model for girls and women everywhere.