T. Willard Fair
President and Chief Executive Officer
Miami Connection
Under Fair's leadership, the Urban League of Greater Miami integrated every workforce in Dade County and trained hundreds of Black leaders for influential community positions, fostering lasting equity. His efforts have expanded access to housing, education, and economic opportunities, impacting over 187,000 people annually through partnerships like United Way Miami. As a vocal advocate from the Civil Rights era to Black Lives Matter, Fair has shaped Miami's Black community resilience and social justice landscape for six decades.
About
Born in 1939 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, T. Willard Fair earned a B.A. in Sociology from Johnson C. Smith University in 1961 and an M.S.W. from Atlanta University School of Social Work in 1963. He joined the Urban League of Greater Miami in September 1963 as its youngest president and CEO, growing it from a staff of three to the largest affiliate with 476 full-time employees within a decade. His career highlights include integrating Dade County's workforce, training over 400 young Black leaders for community boards, and serving as Chairman of the Florida State Board of Education and other key roles. Fair has been a media commentator on civil rights issues, adjunct professor at universities like Florida International University, and recipient of awards such as the National Urban League Distinguished Service Award. Deeply connected to Miami since arriving in 1963, he continues leading the Urban League, focusing on housing, education, and economic empowerment.