Ambassador William H. Houston III, Senior Policy Advisor

William Houston serves as Senior Policy Advisor to SS&A, and he is also the founder of World Trade Link, an international business consulting firm.

Prior to joining the Firm, Mr. Houston enjoyed a successful career in federal government. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate and served as Ambassador & Chief Textile Negotiator at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, where he was actively engaged in and responsible for all textile and apparel negotiations. Prior to that, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Textiles & Apparel and Chairman of the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

Before entering government service, Mr. Houston was involved with an agricultural operation in Mississippi. He was actively engaged in the production of cotton, soybeans, rice and wheat. During this period, he served in numerous appointed and elected civic and political positions, including Vice President of the National Cotton Council, President and Chairman of the Cotton Foundation and member of the board of directors of Cotton Council International. He also served on the board of directors for both the First Tennessee National Corporation in Memphis and the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation in Washington. In addition, he was president of the Delta Council of Mississippi.