William Everett Potter (17 July 1905 – 5 December 1988) was an American engineer and military officer who served as Governor of the Panama Canal Zone from 1956 to 1960.

During World War II, Potter served in the G-3 section of the European Theater of Operations, United States Army (ETOUSA) as the executive officer of the Psychological Warfare Division, which he helped to establish.

He became a Disney Legend in 1997, and one of the three ferries that transport guests across the Seven Seas Lagoon was re-christened General Joe Potter in his honor.

His father worked at various jobs, and the family moved to Beloit, Wisconsin, and then to Toledo, Ohio, where Potter attended Scott High School.

[6] Following the usual post-graduation furlough, Potter's first posting was to Fort DuPont, Delaware, as a company officer with the 1st Engineer Regiment from 9 September 1928 to 10 October 1929.

[9] Susan later married the son of Potter's 1927 classmate Herman Walter Schull Jr.[4] Potter was a student officer in the advanced officers' course at the Engineer School at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, from 1 September 1936 to 27 August 1937, but this was interrupted by flood relief duty during the Ohio River flood of 1937.

He was then assigned to Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) duty at Ohio State University, where he was promoted to captain on 9 June 1938.

In March 1941 he became the executive officer of the 24th Engineer Battalion, part of the newly formed 4th Armored Division at Pine Camp.

[10][11] Promoted to lieutenant colonel on 1 February 1942, he assumed command of the 6th Armored Division's 25th Engineer Battalion at Camp Chaffee, Arkansas.

[4][10] In this role he reported to the commander of the division, Brigadier General Tristram Tupper, and worked in cooperation with the Office of Strategic Services (OSS).

He played an important part in the creation of the Red Ball Express, which delivered supplies by truck until the railways and pipelines could meet demand.

[10] He oversaw civil works and flood control projects, such as the Tuttle Creek Dam, the Harlan County Reservoir and dikes and levees along the Missouri River.

Pick, recalled Potter from Alaska to Washington, D.C., to become the Assistant Chief Engineer in charge of Civil Works, but the position was graded as one for a brigadier general.

[27] There were rumors that Potter would succeed Lieutenant General Emerson C. Itschner as Chief of Engineers, but this became unlikely after the 1959 anti-American riots in Panama.

[13][29] Potter became executive vice president of the 1964 New York World's Fair, working under urban planner Robert Moses.

[31] Potter played a key role in the construction of Walt Disney World, and is credited with helping to build much of the underground utilities, such as electrical power, sewerage and water treatment, and other infrastructure.

[15][1] He dredged 5,000,000 cubic yards (3,800,000 m3) of muck to turn Bay Lake into a crystal-clear water feature, and built a 200-acre (81 ha) lagoon by the Polynesian Hotel.

[4] Main Street USA at the Magic Kingdom at Disney World has General Joe’s Building Permits in the window above the confectionery.

[31] He became a Disney Legend in 1997, and one of the three ferries that transport guests across the Seven Seas Lagoon was re-christened General Joe Potter in his honor.