Built from Scratch
he spent his early years trying everything from basketball to soccer, golf, tennis, and more. He finally committed to lacrosse and became an All-American player. In fourth grade, he attempted to pick up the saxophone before his music teacher “gently took the saxophone away” and suggested he try choir instead. The change proved worthwhile. Will went on to sing in a national honor choir in middle school and participated in regional and state choirs through high school.Some Assembly Required
Having deep Kentucky roots, nearly everyone in Will’s family attended the University of Kentucky. Although he grew up attending UK football games and tailgates, Will considered trying something different but ultimately became a Wildcat. In hindsight, the decision proved consequential in ways he could not have predicted. During his freshman year, he met his now-wife, Meredith.Will focused heavily on his academics during college and pursued a degree in chemical engineering. Outside of the classroom, he became involved in two communities that shaped his college experience. Through Christian Student Fellowship, he met many of his closest friends. He also continued his involvement with DanceBlue that had begun in high school. The student-run organization fundraises year-round for UK’s pediatric hematology/oncology clinic and culminates in a 24-hour, no-sitting, no-sleeping dance marathon, with more than $27M raised since 2006. Will spent a year on the organization’s Morale Committee and two years on the Family Relations Committee, the latter of which included regularly volunteering with children who receive treatment and their families.
Moving to Charleston also represented a different kind of experiment. Most of Will and Meredith’s friends and family were still in Kentucky, but they decided to move somewhere new for the challenge. The two learned to rely on each other in different ways and eventually built a community in a city they still love. Then came COVID-19. As Boeing pulled back on some of the engineering projects Will found most interesting, his brother-in-law, ScottMadden director Luke Williams, again asked whether Will might want to “actually use the M.B.A.” he had earned. This time, the timing was right. Will joined ScottMadden in April 2021, and he and Meredith moved to Atlanta later that year.
Still Under Construction
Outside of work, Will’s instincts to keep busy have not disappeared. His hobbies include exercise, reading, golf, tennis with
Meredith, and any at-home project he can get his hands on. Recently, finding himself without a project, Will decided to build a golf simulator in his basement.
For all his inclination to stay active, however, Will does not believe everything has to be done in the name of progress. His reading, for example, is for enjoyment rather than self-improvement. When reflecting on his broader outlook, he shared a similar philosophy, “You don’t always have to be ‘productive’ in the traditional sense. Your time doesn’t always have to be optimized for efficiency or progress. Sometimes it’s okay to do something (or nothing) simply because it is enjoyable without always moving toward a defined goal or objective.”
