Cora Williams Named 2022 NAED Trailblazer Award Winner

The National Association of Electrical Distributors named Cora Williams, who recently sold Ideal Electrical Supply Corporation after more than 35 years, the 2022 Trailblazer Award recipient. Williams becomes the 14th woman to receive the Trailblazer award.

Williams started at Ideal Electrical Supply Corporation in 1985, and became the President and CEO in 1991. Using her personal credit cards because banks would not give her a loan, Williams grew the business before selling it last November to Jan Adams.

Williams was one of the first women, and one of the first black woman, to regularly attend NAED Regional Conferences back in the 1980’s. She recognized the need for more diversity, and worked throughout her career to advance careers, including becoming one of the first proponents to create a Women In Industry Forum for NAED members. Williams also worked on NAED’s Board of Directors, and as an advisor to tED magazine. She and her late husband Ken became regular attendees at all NAED Regional Conferences and worked to promote the industry to minorities and women.

Williams joins Phyllis Godwin, Liz O’Grady, Karen Clouse, Nancy Goedecke, Tammy Miller, Tammy Livers, Kathy Mazzarella, Sandy Rosecrans, Desiree Grace, Kathy Jo Van, Molly Murphy, Jayne Millard, and last year’s award recipient Joyce Blassingame as Trailblazer Award winners. She will be honored with an award dinner at the upcoming Women In Industry Forum, June 27-29 in Bonita Springs, Florida.