William Robert Timken Jr. (born December 21, 1938) is an American industrialist, businessman and former diplomat.

Timken has been chairman of Securities Investor Protection Corporation, National Association of Manufacturers, The Manufacturing Institute and the Ohio Business Roundtable.

He attended Phillips Academy and received his bachelor's degree from Stanford University, where he was captain of the swim team.

[2] He was recipient of the Gold Medallion Award from the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2009.

[1][3] He is of German descent and was honored by the German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA in 2009.