Salem, N.J.—He was soft-spoken and gentle, yet his quarter century with Mannington Mills was thunderous with dynamic and effective leadership and a succession of momentous accomplishments. H. Arthur Williams was unpretentious—he preferred to be called Art by everyone—he was as cordial to the people working in the plant as he was to the board of directors. On Sept. 25, he passed away after suffering a massive stroke. He was 80. Williams, born June 15, 1922, spent 40 years in the floor covering industry, having launched his career after graduation from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with an engineering degree and having fought in the Pacific Theater in World War II as a captain in the Marine Corps.

In 1947, he joined Armstrong Cork Co. (now Armstrong World Industries) and three years later he had to put his career on hold when he was called to serve in the Korean conflict. When he was discharged from military service, he returned to Armstrong and soon after was named a plant manager. At that time, Mannington was making linoleum rugs for Armstrong and Williams was the liaison between the two companies. It was in that capacity that he met John B. Campbell, president of Mannington, and a friendship developed, one that would last throughout their lives. Campbell, impressed with Williams, offered the young man a job and in October of 1961, Williams joined Mannington Mills, where he held several executive positions as he ascended the corporate ladder.

His dedication and contributions to the company’s progress and marketing initiatives resulted in his promotion to president of Mannington on July 1, 1969, succeeding Campbell, who became chairman of the board of directors. Williams was the first non-family member to take the helm in the then 54-year-old company. During his tenure, the company experienced unprecedented growth and in tandem with Campbell the firm achieved world class status, expanding the business into every type of floor covering—wood, ceramic and carpet in addition to its core product, resilient goods. Williams was a neighbor and friend of Ed McMahon, famous for his association with Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show. Playing golf one day, Williams asked McMahon to represent Mannington, he agreed and he was hired. McMahon became Mannington’s spokesman on television, radio and in print. The arrangement was a successful marketing and merchandising venture. The celebrity also was the best man at Williams’ wedding.

On Jan. 1, 1985, Williams was made CEO in addition to being president. He was popular in his company and in the industry and received several honors for his contributions to the betterment of both. He received the prestigious Jack Beckwith Award from the Retail Floorcovering Institute (RFI) for his outstanding service to the industry. On Jan. 31, 1987, he was honored as Man of the Year by the Floor Covering Industry Foundation, a tribute accorded to few. In March of 1987, he was given the Distinguished Service Award by the Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI), an organization for which he served two terms as president. In 1992, he was inducted into the World Floor Covering Association’s (WFCA) Hall of Fame as a charter member.

Mannington recognized his many contributions to the company when, on Oct. 14, 1984, the H. Arthur Williams Fitness Center, a new state-of-the-art facility, was dedicated in his honor. The Center is available to employees, retirees and their spouses and is a lasting remembrance of his caring and respect for his Mannington family. Williams retired on April 1, 1987, having spent 40 years in the industry, 25 of which were with Mannington, where his loyalty and dedication will long be remembered. “My father and Art set the foundation for excellence at Mannington,” said Keith Campbell, chairman of the board of directors. “In addition to being an industrial engineer, he was an operations professional. Many dynamic things occurred during his tenure.

He was the first president and CEO not family—and when he took that post he ran the company, completely and professionally, though it remained a family business. And it continues to run that way. He took it to the next level. He had a profound belief, an intense confidence, in the specialty retailer; that’s why he was so heavily involved in the RFI and the WFCA and other national groups. He supported them not only in deeds, but with financial contributions.” Campbell continued, “He was a phenomenal man, truly a giant in the industry. He did wonderful things for me, my family and the industry. Art put Mannington on the path of professionalism and brought his caring and expertise to the specialty retailer. He trained me on everything and he was thorough, but always fair. He taught me everything there was to know about the company and the industry.” The chairman announced a memorial in Williams’ honor, “Mannington will donate $5,000 a year to the WFCA Academic Scholarship Program to be known as the H. Arthur Williams Scholarship.” Survivors include his wife, Mary and daughters, Mary and Ann.