by Ralph Gould
Nelson Williams, CEO of Briohn Building Corporation, a leading design-build firm in Brookfield was awarded the Elmbrook Rotary 2025 Businessperson of the Year at a recent Friday morning meeting at St. Camillus.
Nelson’s journey to the helm of Briohn is as inspiring as it is unconventional. Originally on a pre-med track at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a pivotal conversation with his rowing coach led him to pivot towards business, a decision that ultimately brought him into the world of commercial construction. After gaining experience in web consulting and building products sales, Nelson joined Briohn in 2007, where he quickly rose through the ranks from Sales and Marketing Director to Vice President, and then CEO in 2011.
Under Nelson’s leadership, Briohn has flourished not only as a builder of spaces but as a builder of community. He’s a passionate advocate for team culture, often saying that people he works with are what keep him coming to work every day. That spirit extends beyond the office. Nelson is an avid cyclist and endurance sports enthusiast who has rallied his team around charitable causes like the Trek 100, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for cancer research along the way.
“We support a number of initiatives designed to strengthen our community, including education, cancer research, adoption related causes, and wellness.”
“We have been active with the Trek 100 & the MACC Fund, the Medical College of Wisconsin, Vince Lombardi Cancer Fund, St. Augustine Preparatory Academy, University of Wisconsin, Marquette University, United Way, Make a Wish, Little Warrior, Hunger Task Force, and many more.”
Nelson lives in Elm Grove with his wife and two children, who are in High School and Middle School at Brookfield Academy.
Thank you, Nelson for exemplifying the ideals of Rotary “Service Above Self”.
