[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 134 (Wednesday, July 29, 2020)]
[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.

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