William [Bill] Cotterman wrote seven books and a number of articles on information systems–related subjects, and one book of historical non-fiction. An appointee to the US Naval Academy, Cotterman served in the Naval Reserve. William earned a Bachelor of Science from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1958, Master of Science from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1963, and Doctor of Philosophy from Georgia State University in 1969. William founded the Computer Information Systems Department at Georgia State University and was its first full time Chairman. He also served as Professor and Chair Emeritus of Computer Information Systems at Georgia State University. William worked in many countries in the Middle East and lived in the area for a total of three years. In 1973, he took a leave of absence to work in Kuwait on an input-output analysis of the economy that led eventually to the establishment of Kuwait’s national accounts. Subsequent assignments in the Middle East came from USIA, United Nations Development Programme, National Science Foundation, and American University in Beirut Services Corporation, in addition to private companies. President Carter appointed him to a Committee on White House Information Systems to analyze and make recommendations on the use of computers and information technology within the Executive Office of the President. He continued to study Arabic and remained an ardent traveler.