Fran Williams, who served as president of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors-National Association (PHCC) 1998-1999, passed away Sept. 9 in Belmont, Mass., after a 16-month battle with leukemia. He was 73. Williams was a very well-respected member and leader of PHCC. Besides his role as national president, he served as national secretary from 1995-96, on the national board of directors as Zone 1 director from 1991-94, and as chairman of the PHCC educational foundation from 2007-2009.
In 2005, he received from PHCC-National Association the prestigious Col. George D. Scott Award for meritorious service, an award given for many years of service and unselfish devotion to the association and the industry. In 1995 he received another significant national award: the Delta Faucet Plumbing Contractor of the Year Award. In 1988, he was awarded the Bradford-Rose Award, the highest award presented by PHCC of Massachusetts. He was also named Massachusetts Contractor of the Year in 1994.
On the state level, he served as president of the PHCC of Greater Boston Chapter from 1982-1984; president of the PHCC of Massachusetts Chapter in 1985-1986; and member of the PHCC of Massachusetts Board of Directors. In Massachusetts, he was a driving force in working with the State Board of Examiners of Plumbers and Gasfitters in developing new code regulations as they relate to handicap access in public restrooms.
Williams was active in legislative and regulatory initiatives on both the state and national levels, including leading PHCC-National Association toward creating a task force that eventually became the PHCC Energy Efficiency and Water Conservation Committee. He served as chairman of the board for the North American Technician Excellence (NATE) certification program in 1999-2000.
In 1973, he founded F.A. Williams Inc., a company that specializes in commercial and industrial plumbing and HVACR construction. Williams also used his knowledge of the p-h-c industry to work on a number of volunteer efforts in his home town. Through his work on the Disability Access Commission, he provided input into the town’s efforts to provide accessibility to all citizens.
Visitation will be held 3 p.m.-8 p.m. Sept. 15 in the Church of St. Luke, 132 Lexington St., Belmont, Mass. Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 16 in The Church of St. Luke. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Fran's memory may be made to ThePHCC National Educational Foundation, or The Belmont Food Pantry, PO Box 291, Belmont, MA 02478.
