MANSFIELD – A new face has joined the staff at Kingwood Center Gardens.
Zanesville native Holly Williams has taken a position as visitor services manager. In her new position, Williams will oversee marketing, development for fundraising, events and customer service. She’ll also manage Kingwood’s website and eventual social media presence.
Williams has had an eclectic career leading up to her time at Kingwood. After graduating from The Ohio State University with a degree in music, she joined the Air Force as the principle flutist of a band in California. She then earned her masters degree in flute performance, and eventually started her own business.
“People don’t often think of musicians having businesses, but you’ve got to start from scratch,” Williams said. “I did that for the majority of my life outside of San Francisco.”
Williams also worked with a California orchestra coordinating fundraising, volunteers, and event planning that would eventually serve her in her position at Kingwood.
After more than 20 years, Williams and her husband moved to Reno, Nevada, where she worked as an instructional designer, creating courses for colleges. She and her husband also owned an egg business outside of the city with 11 acres and 220 chickens. It was this business that prompted them to start thinking of a more sustainable lifestyle in a place like Mansfield, Ohio.
“We came here because I have family here, land and land prices are great, and we found a house online that we loved so we bought it and came here,” Williams said. “It was luck of the draw – the right house in the right place at the right time.”
Upon arrival in Mansfield, Williams worked at the Mansfield/Richland County Public Library on a part-time basis. Then she came across a job opening at Kingwood Center Gardens.
“I had only heard of Kingwood once, because we’d only been here about seven months,” Williams said. “When I saw the job description I thought it would be perfect for me.”
Now, Williams is about a month into her new position and looking forward to learning more about her surroundings.
“I’m a firm believe in wherever I go, I try to fit into the community where I’m at, and Kingwood epitomizes that to me,” she said. “We’re right here where everyone can access us, we’re public. So being part of the community was really a draw for me.
“Just being on these grounds I thought, how beautiful of a job will this be?”
Williams has been especially impressed with Kingwood’s storied history. Built in 1926 for Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kelley King, the 47-acre estate has been open as a public garden since 1953.
King made his fortune with the Ohio Brass Company, where he eventually became president and chairman of the board. Since he had no children, King left most of his estate to the private foundation that continues to operate Kingwood Center Gardens today.
“I’m amazed at philanthropists at any age throughout history who donate their property when they pass; so many people don’t do that because they’ve worked so hard for it that they want it to stay in the family,” Williams said. “I wish I knew more tidbits of history, I keep hearing little things.”
Within her job, Williams said she really enjoys event planning. She is also looking forward to heightening Kingwood’s presence on social media, and creating more partnerships within the community.
“I really want to bring Kingwood more into the 21st century,” Williams said. “I have a certificate in social media marketing from the University of Reno, and I want to really start utilizing our social media to get our word out and get our name out to those who use social media.”
But what Williams most looks forward to is adding to the existing strength of the Kingwood Center Gardens staff.
“Everything that is happening so far, I’m just riding the wave,” she said. “Only a few weeks in, I can say I love my job so far.”
