President/CEO
David has been employed at Williams & Fudge, Inc. full time since August 2000. After six years in the sales and marketing area, David became a part of the Executive Management team to help with all facets of the company. These include, but are not limited to, finance, compliance, human resources, technology, client services, and overseeing projects related to the growth of the organization. David currently serves as President/CEO of Williams & Fudge, Inc.
David is an active member in the accounts receivables industry and in his community in Rock Hill, SC. He serves on the Board of Directors for ACA International, the Association of Credit and Collection Professionals. He is involved in ACA in many other capacities including ACPAC and the governance task force. Locally, he serves in many organizations including the York Technical College Foundation, the South State Bank Advisory Board, and the Rock Hill Sports Commission and Parks Foundation. In 2019, he was named Rock Hill Businessperson of the Year. In addition, David serves on the board of the York County Board of Disabilities, is an executive committee member for Miracle Park, and serves as the President of Rock Hill’s Old Town Association.
Executive Vice President
Chris joined Williams & Fudge, Inc. after having worked extensively in management and training with a large national company. He has a wealth of business knowledge and a vast understanding of the importance of customer/employee relations. Chris has served in various roles throughout his tenure at Williams & Fudge, Inc. and as Executive Vice President oversees the daily operations of the company.
In addition to attaining the Scholar Degree from ACA International, The Association of Credit and Collection Professionals; Chris holds certifications as a Professional Collection Specialist (PCS) and Higher Education Collection Specialist (HECS). He is a Board of Trustees member for the South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (SCICU) and a Board of Directors member for Family Trust Federal Credit Union.
Vice President Of Sales
J.R. joined Williams & Fudge, Inc. in 2007 as an Associate Vice President of Sales. Prior to joining the company, J.R. served in various roles of progressive responsibility, overseeing supply chain management, project implementation and client relations at a fortune 500 company.
J.R. has an impressive record of forging partnerships and was promoted to his current position in November 2021 where his leadership and coaching skills have proven to be valuable assets to Williams & Fudge, Inc.
He has served on number Higher Education boards including the Colorado Association of Administrators of Student Loans and Accounts Receivable (CAASLAR) Board and the Texas Higher Education Business Officers (THEBO). J.R. earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Colorado-Boulder as well as a master’s in technology management from the University of Denver.
Vice President of Strategy
Amelia joined Williams & Fudge, Inc. in 2018, bringing extensive sales, client relations and marketing experience to the company. She earned a bachelor’s degree in art from Winthrop University in 2005 and spent the first 13 years of her career serving the telecom industr in various client-facing roles.
In her current role, Amelia is responsible for the development and implementation of the company’s overall marketing strategy. Her commitment to fostering positive engagement with clients and employees makes her a valued member fo the team.Amelia is active in the community and currently serves on the Camp Canaan Board of Directors, Come-See-Me Festival Board of Governors and is Co-Chair of Sponsorships for the 2024 BMX World Championships.
Vice President of Collections
Clay has been in the collection industry since 1986. His management experience in the collection industry has equipped Clay to direct the revenue needs and the corporate training needs of the Williams & Fudge, Inc. staff.
Clay has earned the degree of Fellow in Collection Business Management, which is the ACA International’s highest scholastic achievement award in continuing education. Additionally, public speaking skills make Clay a valuable asset for collection instruction for all of our clients. In our community, Clay serves on the board the Minority Scholarship Foundation of York County and enjoys officiating high school athletics.
Vice President of Operations
After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a degree in Computer Engineering, Adam joined a restaurant technology startup company as a systems/operations manager, where he was a part of the development team that designed new features and identified system bugs.
Adam joined Williams & Fudge, Inc. in 2011 as a Systems Engineer and quickly became the Director of Application Services, where he led the implementation of our current collections software. As Vice President of Operations, Adam’s responsibilities include continuing to evolve how we use technology to remain compliant in a continuously changing industry; driving processes and controls that benefit our consumers, clients and company; and overseeing the Compliance and Client Support teams.
Vice President of Technology
Jon has been with Williams & Fudge, Inc. since June 2018 bringing years of product development and innovative technology experience to the table. He graduated from Ball State University with a degree in Computer Science. Having served in the financial services industry since 2001, Jon has managed on-boarding experiences, led product and innovation initiatives, streamlined processes and implemented improvements throughout his various roles. He is currently a Member of ACA Innovation & Technology Committee. He has a passion for working with people, creating improved processes and bringing innovative ideas to life.
Vice President of Finance
Ronnie has been with Williams & Fudge, Inc. since March 2012 and now has over 20 cumulative years of service between public and private accounting. As a certified professional accountant, he brings a wealth of experience with financial and managerial accounting, budgeting and forecasting, and business analysis. His responsibilities with Williams & Fudge, Inc. include overseeing daily transaction processing and financial operations; treasury functions; various payroll and benefit responsibilities; planning and risk management; and all accounting and reporting responsibilities, both internal and external in nature.
Founder and Chairman of the Board
Gary has been involved and innovative in student loan management since 1978. Since founding Williams & Fudge, Inc. in 1986, Gary has grown the company to be one of the leaders in the student loan collection industry. His knowledge and experience have afforded Gary opportunities to serve as an industry expert and guest speaker at various conferences throughout the United States.
Gary has held various leadership roles within industry organizations, including serving as President of ACA International and the Association of Credit and Collection Professionals. Additional leadership roles include his time as Vice President, Treasurer, and Board of Directors for this 5,400-member organization, allowing him to communicate with the top government collection agencies in the country. Locally, he has served his community as a member of Rock Hill School District Board of Trustees, his church and Boy Scouts of America. He is currently a Fellowship of Deacons member at his church, a Trustee of Winthrop University, Chair of the Camp Canaan Foundation and a Board Member of SC ETV. He was recognized by Winthrop University as an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters recipient.
Outside General Counsel
Chad joined Williams & Fudge, Inc. in August of 2003 as the company’s Corporate Counsel. He currently serves as Outside General Counsel managing the company’s legal compliance issues, employment law issues, contracts, and litigation defense. He is the owner of The Echols Firm, LLC located in Rock Hill. Chad is an active member of the South Carolina Bar Association, the York County Bar Association, and ACA International. Chad serves as the South Carolina State Chair for ACA. Chad is licensed to practice law in the state of South Carolina, U.S. District Court for South Carolina, the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, and the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals.
Chad currently serves on the Advisory Board for YMCA Camp Cherokee, the Upper Palmetto YMCA Corporate Board of Directors, the Anne Springs Close Greenway Board of Managers, served as the 2019 Chairperson for the Come-See-Me Festival, serves on the Come-See-Me Festival Board of Governors, and is an Elder at Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church. He enjoys time with his wife and two children, fly fishing, and cheering on the Clemson Tigers.
Senior Advisor
Government Relations & Public Policy
Bob Perrin, Senior Advisor, Government Relations & Public Policy, has been with Williams and Fudge, Inc. since 1993. Prior to his current position, Bob served as CEO. Since 1980, Bob has been directly involved in the operations of Student Loan Management, beginning his career at the University of South Carolina where he managed fourteen Federal loan programs across nine campuses.
As a past president of COHEAO (Coalition of Higher Education Assistance Organization), Bob currently serves on the board as the Legislative Co-Chair with a focus on regulatory issues, and Chairs the working groups of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). He has been involved on the national scene working with Congress and the Department of Education to preserve the Federal Perkins Loan Program and advocate in support of other issues that challenge higher education.