Don Williams, also known by the nickname Ducky, is an American illustrator employed by The Walt Disney Company.
Williams has worked at Disney for over thirty years, at a number of different positions, finally ending up in the marketing division as an animator.
After he left the navy he went back to Massachusetts, where he got a job as a teller at a local bank; after a few months of work he was promoted to branch manager.
A friend of Williams's, unbeknownst to him, wrote a letter and sent a copy of the tape to Disney animation studios in California.
Two weeks after the tape was sent, he received a letter from the animation department of Disney saying that while they liked his drawings there were no job openings available at that time.
He went back to work at the bank and began drawing 100 pictures a week and sending them off to Schroeder for critique.
He drew 100 pictures a week for two years before he finally decided that he could no longer pursue his dream in Massachusetts, so he moved to Florida.
[6] Williams started at the Marketing Art department, later called Disney Parks and Resorts Advertising Creative, then Disney's Yellow Shoes Global Creative Group There were originally staffed 16 illustrator, but the number dwindled down to just him, with his co-workers going off to work in more computer-based media.
He continues to create illustrations for mailers, brochures, guide books, and specialty items.
Williams has also created art inside the Disney Parks, providing paintings, signage and china for the Lady and the Tramp themed restaurant, Tony's Town Square Cafe.
When Williams first started working at Disney he became a colleague of Russell Schroeder, who subsequently recommended him his first illustrating job.