Charley is a native Floridan by way of Jacksonville and has lived in Winter Park for over 25 years. As a founding member of the Winter Park Land Trust Trees Committee, he often quotes Star Wars composer John Williams: “Listen to the trees: that’s where the music is!” Shade is the key to walkability and the poetry to walkability. Hands down, our largest city park, and most valuable city asset, lies 80 ft above our heads. Our tree canopy and shade grow more valuable with each passing Florida summer.

Past projects for Williams include bid efforts to land the 1994 World Cup for Orlando, the world’s largest sporting event and the first time successful entry for the United States, followed by successful bid efforts to land Olympic soccer matches in conjunction with the 1996 Atlanta Games, serving as President of the Orange County League of Women Voters, now with over 800 members, one of the largest in the country, and completing five years as Trustee for the Florida First Amendment Foundation.

Williams’ vision for Florida 2030 (now only 5 years away) would include three things:

* Remedies for Lake Okeechobee and Indian River Lagoon water quality degradation.

* Accelerated funding for Florida Forever as voters intended.

* A state where solar investment underscores our name, the Sunshine State.

Williams is a graduate of Davidson College and has spent career time in Atlanta, Washington, DC, New York, and New Orleans(as a cook on a tugboat. An avid folk-art collector, his personal collection “Rooted Visions” is now touring the country through 2028.