Tim Williamson
Tim Williamson is the current President of the Idea Village, Inc., an economic development program that helps accelerate the early development of technology companies in the greater New Orleans region. The Idea Village also creates programs, seminars, and events that educate and highlight the opportunity and successes of entrepreneurship in the region. The Idea Village, a 501(c) 3 non-profit, is endorsed by MetroVision as its Regional Entrepreneurship program.
Prior to running The Idea Village, Williamson returned home after 11 years to become the General Manager of the New Orleans Internet Studio for Cox Interactive Media, the leading network of local Internet city-sites. He oversaw the initial launch of Insideneworleans.com and executed a national Internet strategy in New Orleans. He was promoted to the position of Regional General Manager of Cox Interactive Media and was able to build a regional hub that oversaw the operation of five sites throughout the country. Prior to moving back home in 1998, Tim was the site manager of Cox Interactive Media’s Pittsburgh studio, Realpittsburgh.com.
Williamson’s entrepreneurial skills were exhibited as President of Auducom Productions, multimedia marketing consultants for Fortune 500 clients such as Bellsouth, AT&T and Alcan Cable. Also, Williamson created the “TV Dinner Show”, a creative marketing plan for the hospitality industry which helped pioneer the local Internet site “Virtual Atlanta.”
In 1998, Williamson held the position of Vice President of Sales of Boston-based Infovision, a pioneer of infomercials, where he created a unique video marketing strategy for over 125 clients. At his helm, Infovision generated $1.3 million in sales in its first year and opened an Atlanta office.
Williamson had an early successful career in the financial services industry as Vice President of Sales with Bear Stearns. He began his career by being selected as one of eighteen to the New York-based 18-month Intensive Sales Training program by Drexel Burnham Lambert.
A New Orleans native, Tim graduated from Isidore Newman High School and received a B.S.M in Finance from Tulane University in 1987.
Building a World Class Entrepreneurial Community in New Orleans
Williamson’s presentation will focus on the background, mission and goals of the Idea Village. The Idea Village seeks to develop the economy by promoting entrepreneurship in the New Orleans region. Williamson will explain the importance of entrepreneurship in creating jobs, as well as the resources that entrepreneurs need to successfully turn ideas into businesses. Williamson will also outline the specific programs that the Idea Village offers, including education and youth entrepreneurship programs, capital access programs and the Boot Camp to accelerate the growth of early stage entrepreneurial companies.