Joseph E. Cole

Cole was born January 4, 1914, in Cleveland, Ohio.[1] He began his career in 1926 working for the National Key Company in Cleveland.[2] After working for the company for seven years, he left to establish a retail key division of Curtis Industries, building it into the country's second-largest key company, after National Key.[2][3] In 1950, Cole purchased National Key as well as Curtis's key business, becoming the largest key retail business in the United States.[2][1] As the company grew, diversifying into such areas as car dealerships, the Things Remembered gift shop, and the Original Cookie Company, it was renamed Cole National Corp.[1]

In the 1950s, Cole became a minority owner of the Cleveland Indians (now "Guardians") baseball team; he twice attempted to purchase the team in its entirety, but was unsuccessful.[3]

In 1980, Cole purchased the struggling Cleveland Press newspaper.[3] He expanded the paper's publication to seven days, adding a Sunday edition, but ultimately the newspaper ceased publication in 1982.[1]

Cole was active in the U.S. Democratic Party. He served as chairman of the Ohio campaign for John F. Kennedy's presidential campaign in 1960,[3] and gave financial support to Hubert Humphrey's presidential campaign in 1968.[3] He became treasurer of the party in 1973, and served on the Democratic National Committee and its executive committee.[3]

Cole died January 8, 1995, in Palm Beach, Florida from complications from a stroke, shortly after his 81st birthday.[3]