Bill
McMAHON

Candidate A.W. (“Bill”) McMahon is running for a seat on the Bernards Township Committee. Bill and his wife Carol have been residents of Bernards Township for 28 years. They have two children and three grandchildren.

Daughter Sara attended middle school and high school in Bernards Township, where she was a varsity football cheerleader and played basketball. She now lives in Mendham with her husband, Nick and their three children, ages 1, 3 and 5. Their son Brian attended Bernards Township middle school and then went on to Delbarton for high school where he played both varsity football and baseball. Brian is recently married and lives in Charleston, South Carolina with his wife, Rachel. 

Bill grew up in Hastings Minnesota, the eldest of nine children, and graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in Economics. He began his career as a financial advisor for Merrill Lynch in St. Paul Minnesota, where he provided financial advisory services to clients and led the branch sales operations. Bill joined the Morgan Stanley Wealth Management team in 1984. In 1997, he was promoted to Global Head of Training at Morgan Stanley based in New York City. Before deciding where to raise the family, Bill and his wife Carol, together with their two small children at the time, visited a number of towns in New Jersey, but immediately fell in love with Basking Ridge. Bill notes that: “The town has changed and evolved quite a bit over these past 28 years but has retained its charm. It’s always been a great place to live and raise a family and I want to make sure it stays that way.” 

While at Morgan Stanley, Bill received a number of promotions, retiring in 2021 as Managing and Divisional Director, responsible for $8 Billion in revenue and 12,000 employees. From 2015 to 2019, Bill also served as Chairman of the Morgan Stanley Foundation where he guided philanthropic initiatives and community-impact efforts. From 2011 to 2018, Bill was a member of the Board of Directors for Feeding America, providing strategic oversight for the one of the nation’s largest hunger-relief organizations.

 On September 11th, 2001 Bill was working in the World Trade Center on the 69th floor of the South Tower when the first plane hit. He and his fellow employees were guided to the emergency stairwell by the head of security, Rick Rescorla, whose heroic efforts saved thousands of souls that day. Bill and his fellow employees were proceeding down the stairwell when the 2nd plane hit. He and three of his team members were approximately four blocks away when the South Tower collapsed. Sadly, Rick was among the first responders who gave their lives that day to save others. To this day, Bill continues to be an advocate for Rick and all the first responders who gave their lives on 9/11 to save others.

In 2020, Bill was elected to serve as the President of The Hills Highland Master Association, a role he continues to fill; overseeing community governance and operations. In addition to being president, he also serves on the Association’s Strategic Planning and Finance committees. In 2023, Bill became an arbiter for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), resolving disputes in the financial industry through arbitration proceedings.

Bill has had a successful career in business and philanthropy. His extensive leadership and governance experience in financial services and community organizations, together with his strong background in philanthropy and community engagement, make Bill a strong candidate for the role of Township Committee.