President and CEO of General Precision Manufacturing, Myra Williams' company was selected the prestigious Nunn-Perry Award winner by the Department of Defense. The award goes to the top mentor-protege program.

Instead, she walked to the podium alone. And by the end of the speech, Williams had moved the Pentagon audience to tears.

"I told them that I didn`t expect to be up here today, but I really feel in my heart that Robert`s proud of me," Williams said.

After her husband died suddenly in October, Myra, 58, retired from her Navy civil service job to become president and CEO of General Precision Manufacturing, the company her husband founded.

The Pensacola-based firm is the Department of Defense protege of Manufacturing Technology Inc. of Fort Walton Beach.

The companies are the first Florida-headquartered mentor- protege partnership to win the prestigious Nunn-Perry Award, which recognizes outstanding partnerships

between major defense department contractors and small and disadvantaged businesses. MTI is the first company in the nation to win the award as both protege (in 2000) and mentor.

Robert Williams started the company in 1995 as the sole employee. By 1997, it had grown to 7 and grossed $61,000.

This year, Myra Williams projects gross revenues of $1.8 million and expects to add six employees to her current staff of 22. She hopes to meet her husband`s goal of $7 million by 2006 and said MTI has been integral to the company`s success.

"At first we were mediocre, and (Manufacturing Technology Inc.)

assisted us in hiring and training," Williams said. "They came in and helped us get our ISO9000 (DOD-required quality assurance program) qualifications, gave us financial assistance, and technical training both in equipment and computer software."

The company`s mentoring was crucial last October.

Dr. Paul Hsu, chairman and CEO of MTI, said, "When you`re so small, and the principal passes away, it makes the bank very nervous. We called the bank and said `don`t worry about it; MTI is here.` But I hoped so much Myra would take over."

Although Williams was intimidated by the prospect of running the company, she "stepped out on faith,` determined to continue Robert`s work.

"My husband had a vision, and I want to see it fulfilled," she said. "He wanted to provide jobs for Pensacola, and he wanted his children to have something."

Williams admits she was intimidated in the beginning.

"I was stepping into something that was unknown. I`d been supervisor and manager, but I`d never run a company before."

It was her faith in God, she said, that has given her strength in the difficult months since her husband`s death.

Williams travels throughout the Southeast in support of the company`s contracts. She admits that, at times, it`s not easy being a woman in the manufacturing business, but said that that doesn`t apply within the walls of General Precision Manufacturing.

"The people who work here are helpful, not resentful. I couldn`t ask for any better employees."

Hsu said he is impressed with Williams` determination to succeed.

"Myra Williams has shown a tremendous amount of courage, enthusiasm and conscientiousness."

Williams remains humble.

"People say, `you`re a strong woman`," she said. "But I never knew I could do this."