Spencer Williams has been named general manager at Liberty Lake-based telecommunications equipment manufacturer Amphenol Telect.

Williams, who represents the third generation of the Williams family to lead the company his grandparents founded, says his transition into the general manager position was announced internally in July and became official on Nov. 1.

“It’s been a great opportunity, and I think there’s a lot of opportunity in the future to continue to support Telect’s growth,” he says.

Spencer is the son of Wayne Williams, who recently stepped down as president and CEO of the company—positions he held for more than 20 of the 36 total years he’s been with the company.

“From a family standpoint, it’s cool to see (Spencer) … move into that role, and that Amphenol has recognized him as being the next leader for Telect,” Wayne says.

He says Spencer, who is 28 years old, is the youngest general manager among more than 100 people in such roles with Wallingford Conn.-based Amphenol Corp. and its affiliates corporatewide.

“My dad did a great job of working over the past three years to hand this job off,” Spencer says. “I’ve been put in the position to make a lot of decisions on behalf of the business.”

Telect was founded in 1982 by husband and wife team Bill and Judi Williams, Spencer’s grandparents, who were the company’s president and vice president, respectively, until 2000. The couple then transitioned to advisory roles until their full retirement last year.

Amphenol, which makes electronic and fiber-optic connectors and cable connector system, acquired Telect in July 2017. Amphenol and its affiliates have more than 70,000 employees.

Amphenol Telect, located at 22425 E. Appleway, in Liberty Lake, currently has about 150 employees.

Spencer says his transition into the role of general manager at Telect was the result of a conscious decision to keep the family involved in the company’s leadership.

“Amphenol is seeing the value in succession and long-term, original-family leadership,” he says. “That’s something that they strive to do just to keep continuity in the business unit.”

Wayne says he will remain with the company in a strategic adviser role through the end of 2019. He declines to disclose his precise plans after that, but says he’ll remain involved in Spokane’s entrepreneurial community in the Spokane Angel Alliance investment group. He says he’s also taken a position as chairman of Spokane-based snow bike track manufacturer MotoTrax.

“This is a thriving community, and I’m very focused on leadership, mentoring, and coaching in and around this community,” he says.

Spencer says he has been working for the company full time for nearly seven years. Prior to that, he spent summers working at Telect in internship positions.

Prior to his transition into the general manager position, he managed the company’s sales, marketing, and products division.