REMEMBERING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF ENTREPRENEUR AND PUBLIC SERVANT WILLIAM COLE, JR.; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 134
(Extensions of Remarks - July 29, 2020)
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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E698-E699]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
REMEMBERING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF ENTREPRENEUR AND PUBLIC SERVANT WILLIAM
COLE, JR.
______
HON. CAROL D. MILLER
of west virginia
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, July 29, 2020
Mrs. MILLER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to posthumously recognize,
Mr. William Paul Cole, Jr. Paul was born to William Paul Cole, Sr. and
Harriet Foote Cole on December 21, 1931, in New York City, New York.
However, Bluefield, West Virginia, is where the Cole Family planted its
roots and where Paul grew up. Paul started serving the Bluefield
Community in his adolescence and teenage years by working alongside his
father and grandfather at the Cole family-owned West Virginia Hotel.
Entrepreneus and Community leaders themselves--Paul's father and
grandfather taught him the beginnings of business management,
entrepreneurship, and public service; skills he would cultivate
throughout young adulthood, which lead to many successes later in life.
[[Page E699]]
After Paul graduated from Beaver High School in 1949, he left
Bluefield to further his education at Davidson College. He returned
home in 1954 with his degree in-hand. That same year, he married the
love of his life, Carol Ann McHugh. To provide for his wife and future
children, Paul joined the United States Army. He served our country
fearlessly in active duty for two years and continued his service in
the Reserves until reaching the rank of Captain. He would later attend
Harvard School of Business, earning a Master's in Business
Administration.
Thereafter, he was hired by IBM to work at their Headquarters in New
York City as a Systems Engineer. He pursued this role and lived in New
York City until his father's unexpected death in 1965. He quickly took
a one-year ``leave of absence'' from IBM--which he never came back
from--and returned to Bluefield to take over the Cole family estate.
Paul took up his father's mantle as the Head of Operations over the
Cole Motor Company. At that time, the Company was internationally known
as a Harvester Dealership. Through his up-bringing and education, Paul
was a natural Captain at the Helm. His leadership brought forth many
opportunities for the Company. The two most prominent were the
formation of Truck City Parts in 1975 and the purchase of Evans
Chevrolet in 1982 (Later to become Cole Chevrolet).
As his father and grandfather did, Paul continuously sought ways to
give back to the community. He was elected to Bluefield's Mayoral
office in 1981. He was consecutively reelected between the years of
1981 and 1993. He served one nonconsecutive term from 2000 to 2001.
Paul is known as Bluefield's longest serving Mayor. Pulling from his
business experiences, Paul brought integrity, honesty, and fiscal
responsibility to the office. The city truly thrived under his
leadership.
A list of Paul's other accomplishments includes--Chairman of the
American Truck Dealers Association from 1978 to 1980, lifelong member
of the West Virginia Auto Dealers Association and was elected for a
period of time as their President, the first West Virginian to be
inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame, lifelong member of the
Bluefield Chamber of Commerce and was elected for a period of time as
their President, lifelong member of the Bluefield Rotary Club and was
elected for a period of times as their President, received an honorary
Doctorate Degree from Northwood University for his leadership in
helping to establish a Truck Marketing Curriculum, traveled with
Bluefield State College's delegation to Taiwan to help establish a
partnership between Bluefield State College and three higher education
institutions within the People's Republic of China, lifelong member of
Mesa, inducted into Bluefield High School's High of Fame in 2003,
Bluefield State College named their School of Business after Paul's
namesake in 2010, husband, father of three, grandfather to thirteen,
and great-grandfather to fourteen.
Today, Paul's legacy can be seen all throughout Appalachia. The Cole
Automotive Group, formally known as the Cole Motor Company, is now
operated by generations of Coles--all striving to uphold the precedent
of excellence achieved by Paul, his father, and grandfather. With many
locations in Bluefield and in the surrounding areas, the Coles continue
to provide an exceptional service to my constituents in West Virginia's
Third Congressional District.
May God bless William Cole, Jr. I wish I could thank him for all he
did for the great State of West Virginia. He will always be remembered
by his family, friends, and the countless people he impacted throughout
his life. I send my sincerest condolences to the Cole family,
especially his wife, Carol Ann, and children, Bill, Tom, and Charles.
____________________