Ben Williams
A native of Houston, Texas, Ben Williams has a legacy of entrepreneurs in his family— dating back to great-grandmother, Lucille B. Smith — and developed an affinity for venture management at an early age. After graduating from from Howard University he ran a promotion company, which oversaw the national promotion for several Grammy award-winning artists. After moving back to Houston, he used his skills in the private education sector, serving as Business Development and Financial Director at The Imani School — a private elementary and middle school which his mother, Patricia Williams, founded in 1988. In 2012, he partnered with brother Chef Chris Williams to open Lucille’s restaurant in the Museum District of Houston, TX. The restaurant serves as a tribute to the culinary tradition begun by their great-grandmother, Lucille B. Smith. A foray into the hospitality sector eventually sparked an interest in the world of spirits. He started experimenting with distilling vodka as a hobby with his friend Wendell Robbins III, who is now his business partner. Seven years later, in 2019, they launched Highway Vodka. Ben Williams is also a founding board member of the non-profit Lucille’s 1913. Founded by his brother Chris, it is a conscious community collective that combines food philanthropy and development to further nourish Houston’s most vulnerable communities.
