The ascent of a financial entrepreneur : William M. Webster IV

Get to know William M. Webster IV and some of his writings: From October 1994 to October 1995, Mr. Webster served as Assistant to the President of the United States and Director of Scheduling and Advance. Mr. Webster served as Chief of Staff to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Richard W. Riley from January 1993 to October 1994. From November 1992 to January 1993, Mr. Webster was Chief of Staff to Richard W. Riley as part of the Presidential Transition Team.

William M. Webster IV is a American business leader & entrepreneur that has served in government at the highest levels and is active in community and philanthropic endeavors. When he was a junior at Washington and Lee, Billy Webster, of the Class of 1979, ran in the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. As it turns out, he was just getting warmed up. Billy, a member of the W&L Board of Trustees, told the newspaper: “There’s something sort of natural about running. It’s one of the original activities. It feels like something you’re supposed to do. The great thing about it is that anyone who has the desire can do it.” He’s run the Boston Marathon about a dozen times, averages about 3 marathons a year, and said the Big Sur International Marathon in Monterrey, Calif., is his favorite.

William M. Webster IV announced he had donated funds to The Nature Conservancy of South Carolina (TNC), before delivering a prepared address to the conservancy board and audience at this year’s fall meeting. From Billy Webster’s address to TNC: “Thank you for what you do and how you make a difference in our communities. I find it easy to be totally overwhelmed by the vastness and complexity of our environment and the health of the natural world. It is hard enough to get at the truth even without the gopher holes of fake news and manipulated video. The global issues seem too big to comprehend – unprecedented population growth and climate change. And how does S.C. fit in to those issues? How do we as individuals fit in? Most of us just see seemingly isolated but disturbing dots – small tears in the fabric of the natural world …”

Appointed by President George Bush at the recommendation of the non-partisan President’s Commission on White House Fellowships. Worked as Special Assistant to the Administrator, focusing on restructuring and reorganization issues at AID. Worked directly with Governor Richard W. Riley, Director of Presidential Transition Personnel. Responsible for coordination and administration of sub-Cabinet appointments in the Clinton Administration. Discover even more info at William M. Webster, IV.

William M. Webster IV, 62, is co-founder and CEO of Advance America Cash Advance Centers, the rapidly growing Spartanburg-based company that celebrated its eighth anniversary Friday. As of last month, the company operated 2,595 stores in 35 states, and the number of stores continues to grow. In the first quarter of this year, Advance America made 2.6 million payday loans; its net income of $19.7 million was up 31 percent over last year. The Greenville native’s road to Spartanburg has been filled with ambitious jobs and achievements, any one of which might qualify for “career pinnacle” status. He’s held several high-profile Washington jobs — for a year in the mid-1990s, he was in charge of coordinating President Clinton’s schedule, from major events to daily exercise. Before that, Webster was president of Greenville-based Carabo Inc., the largest franchisee of Bojangles restaurants.