Published: December 26, 2006 02:59 pm      

Frank Williams overseeing ECU's Growing IT Needs

ADA — Frank Williams learned a long time ago to adapt to change, and considering his line of work, that's a good thing.

Williams is East Central University's director of information technology, which means he oversees all the ever-changing technology-computer, software, peripherals -- used to store, transmit and use information needed by the university.

His responsibilities cover everything from computer services for both administrative and academic needs to telephone systems telecommunications and networking.

"I've been in information technology 36 years," Williams said.

"I started when we were still using cards and the programming languages were more basic than they are now. Laptop computers we use now are many, many times more powerful than the first computers that took a very large room to accommodate them," he said.

Williams, who came to ECU in September from Missouri State University, said he was "an early adapter" who wrote programs for some of the earliest computers, accepted personal computers right away and was an early web page designer.

And the changes aren't about to stop.

"The speed of delivering data will become astronomical," he said. "There will be a time you'll have a wireless connection wherever you are."

Computer security is an important part of his job, and everyone needs to be security-minded, he warned.

"So many bad guys are out there trying to get information about you. There really is someone out there trying to get your stuff," he said.

ECU's IT department just finished a yearly information technology security audit which is required of all state entities. The department also is completing the implementation of its Jenzabar management information system. Williams is involved in strategic planning, considering emerging technologies to determine the university's IT needs five and 10 years from now.

A native of Henryetta, Williams was coordinator of management information systems at Missouri State University in Springfield from April 2002 until coming to ECU in September. He was department chair and taught information technology from December 1996 to April 2002 at Oklahoma State University Okmulgee. He also was manager of computer services at OSU-Okmulgee from 1979 to 1981.

He was a website design and development contractor from 1994 to 2002. He previously was a programming manager in the MIS department for Oklahoma City Public Schools, owned his own business, worked for a Tulsa firm and taught data processing for two schools in Missouri.

He holds an associate degree in data processing from OSU-Okmulgee and a bachelor's degree in computer science and a master of business administration degree, both from the University of Central Oklahoma.