During his career, Mr. Cole received 41 communications awards for government magazines and newsletters he produced.
CHESTER, VA, April 2, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Richard M. "Dick" Cole with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished 2024 listee, Mr. Cole celebrates many years' experience in his profession, and has been recognized for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials, vision, and successes he has accrued in his field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected for their current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all examined during the selection process. The Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award is bestowed to only five percent of Who's Who listees based upon career longevity, philanthropic endeavors, and lasting contributions to society.
Drawing on more than four decades of experience in the field of communications and public relations, Mr. Cole specializes in employee and member communications. Mr. Cole is a retired Air Force major and a retired federal government GS-15 public affairs officer. During his military career, he served as the Chief, Public Affairs Division for the 2nd Bombardment Wing, Barksdale AFB, La., where his base newspaper, The Observer, was named best in the Strategic Air Command for 1984. His community relations program was also selected as SAC's finest for 1983 and 1984. He also served with the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service and was a spokesman to national and international news media from the Pentagon during Operations Desert Shield/Storm.
He entered federal civil service in 1993. During his government service, he edited, designed, or published numerous award-winning government publications including the former On-Site Inspection Agency's On-Site Insights; the National Wildlife Refuge System's Refuge Update; Naval Sea Systems Command's NAVSEA Observer; the Navy's Surface Warfare Directorate (N-86) bimonthly Surface Warfare magazine, the Defense Contract Management Agency's Communicator magazine, and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency's magazine, The Shield.
His last government position was as Director, Public Affairs for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va. He retired from federal service in 2013.
Prior to embarking on his professional journey, Mr. Cole pursued an education at Los Angeles City College, where he obtained an associate degree in Broadcasting. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Troy State University with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism in 1977 where he was twice named to Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities (1976, 1977). He continued his academic efforts at Syracuse University, earning a master's degree in radio, TV and film in 1985 with a 3.92 GPA. A documentary he coproduced with two other graduate students, "An Officer and A Lady: Three Women in Today's Military," was awarded the Department of Defense Thomas Jefferson Award as the year's outstanding documentary.
Among his professional accomplishments, Mr. Cole is most proud of hiring and mentoring numerous individuals in the public relations industry. Reflecting on a long career, he attributes much of his success to his family, his professional mentors, his persistence, and his dedicated work ethic. He taught communications and speech at the University of Maryland and the University of Maryland Global Campus as an adjunct professor for six years to mentor today's communications professionals.
During his career, Mr. Cole received 41 communications awards for government magazines and newsletters he produced from numerous professional organizations including the League of American Communications Professionals, Association for Publication Excellence, Hermes Creative Awards, Institute for Marketing Communications (MarCom Awards), the National Association of Government Communicators, The Public Relations Society of America, and the Association of Women in Communications.
In addition to his education and mentoring of communications professionals, Mr. Cole volunteered his time to produce newsletters and periodicals for several organizations over the years including the IPMS/USA Journal bimonthly magazine for the International Plastic Modelers Society, the bimonthly newsletter for the B-52 Stratofortress Association, and the quarterly newsletter for the Air Force Navigators and Observers Association. While currently serving as Communications Chairman for the Air Force Public Affairs Association and producing its quarterly News and Notes newsletter, he also produces the monthly newsletter for his local American Legion Post, which was selected as "Best in the American Legion" for 2020.
He has written two aviation books—The Great Book of Fighter Planes: The World's Warbirds (Publications International Ltd., ISBN: 0-517-03598-7) and The Bell 47/H-13/HUL-1/HTL-1 Sioux (Walter P. Stevens Publications) and contributed photos to 19 others.
He is active in numerous service organizations including the Air and Space Forces Association, Association of Old Crows, Military Officers Association of America, Vietnam Veterans of America, Air Force Public Affairs Association (Communications Chairman and editor of the quarterly News and Notes newsletter), B-52 Stratofortress Association, Pedro Rescue Helicopter Association, Air Force Navigator and Observers Association, Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association, Airlift/Tanker Association, Strategic Air Command Veterans Association, Sons of Confederate Veterans, Tan Son Nhut Association, American Legion Post 284 (former 3d Vice Commander and current Public Relations Officer), Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9808, Disabled American Veterans and La Société des Quarante Hommes et Huit Chevaux (The Society of Forty Men and Eight Horses)--an independent, by invitation, honor society of American veterans, more commonly known as "The Forty & Eight."
About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Marquis celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2023, and Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
# # #