Elrick Williams

Futures Trader Elrick Williams, Jr. was born on November 21, 1947 in Harlem, New York to Nell Vera Lowe and Elrick Williams, Sr. He earned his B.A. degrees in chemistry and economics in 1969 from Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. He went on to earn his M.B.A. degree in finance in 1971 from Harvard Business School in Boston, Massachusetts.

Williams began his professional career in 1973 as overseas controller for Trans World Airlines (TWA), where he modernized the airline’s accounting operations with computerized systems and new methods for revenue forecasting. He remained with TWA for seven years before 1980 when he joined the Chicago Mercantile Exchange as a futures and derivatives trader and established him himself as one of the early African Americans in the field of electronic and algorithmic trading. In 1995, he worked as program manager for the International Foundation for Education and Self-Help, followed by a role as contract programmer for American Express in 1997.

In 2002, Williams co-founded Allston Trading LLC, a proprietary trading firm specializing in high-frequency trading and quantitative financial strategies, alongside fellow traders Robert Jordan and John Harada. As chief executive officer, he oversaw the company’s growth into one of Chicago’s leading independent trading firms. Williams sold his ownership stake in 2007 and retired from his executive role the following year. From 2014 to 2016, he returned to the financial sector as managing director of Mocho Trading, where he continued to advise on market strategies and trading technologies.

In 2005, Williams and his sister, Paula Madison, invested in The Africa Channel, a television network dedicated to showcasing the African diaspora. Williams served as its chief executive officer for nine years with a focus on content development and international partnerships. In 2006, Madison founded Williams Group Holdings, a family investment firm through which Williams served as partner, overseeing diverse assets in media, real estate, and international ventures. That same year, the company acquired a majority stake in the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, which they owned until 2014. In 2018, Williams became an international trade consultant for Ding Chow Family Enterprises, a private investment firm based in Shenzhen with a focus on international trading of agriculture and mineral ores.

Williams was featured in his sister Paula Madison’s 2014 documentary titled Finding Samuel Lowe: From Harlem to China with their brother Howard Williams.

Williams resides in Edgartown, Massachusetts.

Elrick Williams was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on June 20, 2023.