Charles Williams, Founder and Director Emeritus of Williams-Sonoma, established the country's first comprehensive French cooking and serving equipment center in 1956 and in 1958 he moved his store to Sutter Street in San Francisco. With the continuing growth of the Commerce, Industry, and Labor, he put together the first catalog, which was mailed to 5,000 homes in 1971. His present position as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, Williams is an integral part of many aspects of the Commerce, Industry, and Labor, from finding unique kitchenware and food items, to providing advice for catalog production and photography. He has been involved with the publication of over 100 Williams-Sonoma cookbooks, acting as the General Editor for the Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library series, the New American Cooking series, the Savoring series and the newly released Williams-Sonoma Collection series. In 1994, he was named to the "Who's Who of Food and Beverage" by the James Beard Foundation.