Who's Who: Bill Cole

Executive broker/owner of Realty Executives of Cape County and Executive Property Management

WHERE HE'S BEEN: The 55-year-old Cole is married to wife Susan, co-owner of Realty Executives of Cape County & Executive Property Management. They have two grown children, Christopher and Katherine. Cole is originally from St. Louis. He has a bachelor's degree in business administration from Southeast Missouri State University. In 1987, he received his Certified Public Accountant certificate. In 2004, he received a Missouri Real Estate Commission Salesperson license and a Missouri Real Estate Commission Broker license. From 1981 to 2005, he was corporate controller with Delta Companies Inc., and since 2003 has been an executive broker/owner with Realty Executives of Cape County.

WHERE HE'S GOING: "I'm really enjoying what I'm currently doing. Making one complete career change at age 50 was enough excitement."

On his work in the community: "The first place business owners can make a positive impact in the community is in the way they run their businesses. Every business owner has a moral and ethical responsibility to treat customers, clients, employees and competitors fairly and honestly. This is an area where Susan and I concentrate a great deal of effort. There are so many other possibilities for area residents to get involved and make a difference. The area chambers of commerce are great places to begin.

"Sponsorships and charitable donations are appreciated by any number of organizations when the demands of running a business make it difficult to devote time. As business owners we set aside 5 percent of our income to benefit such organizations as Habitat for Humanity, St. Jude's, MDA, Big Brothers Big Sisters, American Cancer Society, Lutheran Family and Children Services, Junior Achievement, Southeast Missouri Hospital Foundation, Saint Francis Hospital Foundation, SEMO Booster Club, Mending Hearts, American Red Cross, Community Counseling Center and the Women's Safe House."

Where he thinks his field is headed: "In some parts of the country real estate became a "get rich quick" scheme. Buyers flooded the market with 100 percent-105 percent financing and prices rose at unsustainable levels. I remember a woman from Las Vegas (before the bubble) telling me the value of her home had increased $90,000 in the previous three months -- and they weren't even done building her home! I resisted the temptation to ask whether they found gold on her property. Locally we didn't see the meteoric increases, so we did not see the jaw-dropping decreases. Nonetheless, we were not immune from the housing bubble. Certain price ranges were overbuilt and suffered from the turn down.

Real estate has a cyclical nature which is why it should be viewed, for the most part, as a longer-term investment. Homeownership is still the American dream and is an important component to building personal wealth."

WHY HE WaS CHOSEN: "Bill has made such a huge difference over the last six years and I would love to see him recognized for all of his hard work and dedication to Realty Executives and the entire community," wrote Varonnica Kirn. "He truly does everything possible to support the professional development of everyone in the company and takes a personal interest in each and every person, which makes Realty Executives a great place to work."

Bill's community involvement: Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce member; Jackson Chamber of Commerce member; Leadership Cape -- 2004 graduate; Leadership Cape Alumni Committee -- 2005-2008; Leadership Cape Alumni Committee Chairman -- 2008; Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce -- 2009 Commercial Yard of the Month; Partner in Education -- Clippard Elementary (2008-2009 and 2009-2010); Old Town Cape, corporate sponsor for 2007 and 2008 Christmas; Junior Achievement, classroom teacher -- 2008-2010; Lutheran Family & Children Services ambassador; Cape Noon Lions Club member; Centenary United Methodist Church, past assistant treasurer, finance committee member, staff parish committee member; Tiger Athletic Foundation, past treasurer; Habitat for Humanity, volunteer and past committee member; Southeast Missouri Hospital Foundation member.