My name is Jesse Williams and I work as an Analyst in the Treasury Operations department of Business Affairs. Although there are only two of us in the department, we manage approximately $600 million of university cash and investments, as well as almost $1 billion in university debt. We also administer capital project loans that have been made to units across campus, helping build residence halls, the EMU, and laboratories. I’ve been with the university since 2015 and before coming to the university, I was controller of Siuslaw Bank, which was headquartered in Lane County and had branches from Oakridge to Florence.
I love to eat and I consider myself a foodie…and by “foodie” I mean I’ll eat almost anything, I’m not picky. I enjoy sampling the new dollar menu at Taco Bell almost as much as I enjoy a nice sashimi platter. One of my favorite activities is something I’ve come to call “luncheon roulette,” where I order a random dish off a menu that’s written in a different language. Surprisingly enough, I’ve always ended up with something tasty to eat, although the spice levels are sometimes a little too much for my taste buds.
In 2007, my wife Carolyn and I joined the Peace Corps and served in Azerbaijan, situated between Russia, Iran, and Armenia. Carolyn taught English and I worked in a microfinance company, all while learning more about the country, language, and culture. We gained many profound experiences from our time there, but the most important was a young man we met who we now consider a part of our family. Watching him grow, overcome obstacles, and achieve his goals has been an amazing experience. Our service inspired Carolyn to become the UO’s Peace Corps recruiter, where she now works in the University Career Center.
We have two elementary-school-aged kids, who keep us very busy with school, sports, and making a never-ending stream of ramen, mac-n-cheese, and Yumm! bowls. One of their favorite things to do is “date night,” where Carolyn and I make dinner for ourselves while they hole up in their room with pizza and a movie.
In my spare time, I enjoy coaching the kid’s soccer and volleyball teams and the occasional woodworking project. I very much enjoy working at the University of Oregon and look forward to many more years here.
(October 2022)