William F. Merck II

William F. Merck II
1944–2024

William F. Merck II (Bill) was born in Waycross, Georgia on October 14, 1944. He was the oldest of four boys. His parents owned a building materials business where he began working at a young age. Bill acquired his Associate degree in Arts from South Georgia College in 1964. He also graduated from Georgia State College (Georgia State University) with a BBA in Management and subsequently earned an MBA in Finance. He served as an officer as First Lieutenant in the United States Army from 1969 to 1972. For two of those years, he was stationed in Germany.

After the military, Bill started his career in higher education at James Madison, then known as Madison University, as the Director of Housing. He went on to serve as the Vice President for Business Affairs at James Madison University. He then went to the College of William and Mary where he served as VP for Administration and Finance.

He served for twenty-two years as Vice President for Administration and Finance at the University of Central Florida where he held management responsibility for the following administrative units: Business Services, Environmental Health and Safety, Landscape and Natural Resources, Parking and Transportation Services, Facilities, Operations, Sustainability and Energy Management, University Police, Resource Management, Emergency Management, and Procurement. He was later promoted to Chief Financial Officer.

In his fifty-year career, Bill led the building programs for the three universities, transforming the campuses to create spaces for learning and living to benefit all the students, faculty, and administrators. His work involved more than just building campuses and leading administrative departments; it was rooted in his ability to lead through listening, conversation, and truly grasping what was required to address challenges. He connected with individuals at every level to effectively resolve issues. He cared about people and worked with integrity to do the right thing. He mentored and promoted many people of diverse backgrounds as he encouraged their potential and helped them succeed.

Bill volunteered in each community where he lived and served on the professional boards of several organizations including the United Way in Williamsburg, Virginia, and Orlando, Florida. He was on the board of the Eastern Association of College and University Business Officers (EACUBO) and served as the citizen representative on the Orlando Orange County Expressway Authority (OOCEA). While in Virginia, he served on the board of the Rockingham Memorial Hospital and on the Finance Committee of the Williamsburg Community Hospital. He also served on the board of the public television station, WVPT, in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

When faced with adverse situations, Bill handled these with grace, dignity, his even-keel delivery, and a caring spirit. He was solid in his judgment and stood by his decisions, especially those impacting the health and safety of people.

Bill was creative, too, and not only in problem solving. He had a wide range of interests and was a great storyteller. He was interested in so many aspects of life and he wanted to hear each person’s unique story. Bill loved to travel and was curious about different cultures and about how things came together and why. He loved to draw portraits and was an avid photographer. He loved nature and the beauty that God created. He was a hard worker; both in his career and in his personal life, tackling many projects.

After retiring, Bill pursued writing. He is the author of So, You Want to be a Leader: Secrets of a Lifetime of Success and Breadcrumbs: Finding a Philosophy of Life. The two books work hand-in-hand with engaging personal stories to inspire readers to think about how their philosophies shape who they are. To find out more about these books, please visit williamfmerck.com.

His third book, Ghost Flower, published posthumously by his wife, Ksenia, is a science fiction novel set in the future but requires the characters to time travel to the past to find a cure for a disease.

Bill was a beautiful soul in so many ways. He loved his family and friends. He influenced so many people in a positive way with his warm, kind heart, and his depth, wit, charm, and compassion.

During his short illness, Bill connected with God and was at peace.

Bill had a great life.