Brian D. Cole Bio

Brian Cole was born in Longview, Washington on September 2, 1962. He graduated from Robert A. Long High School, and then moved to Corvallis, Oregon in 1980 to attend Oregon State University where he received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.

Brian Cole National Leadership Award National Center for Small Comminities December 2000 Oregon’s Leaders of the Pack: 20 Who are Rising to the Top Oregon Business Magazine January 2001

Brian returned to Longview to work with his father as a project and metal buildings estimator at Marvin L. Cole General Contractor in 1984.

One evening in 1985, Brian answered the call of the Kelso City Council as they ran a public service announcement regarding that evening’s city council meeting. Brian attended simply to learn what the meeting was all about, and found his passion: making communities work.

The intrigue about advancing a community caused Brian to return to college. This time it was Willamette University’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management in Salem. While pursuing his Master of Business Administration degree, Brian also served three internships for economic development organizations in Portland and Salem.

Brian married Suzy Graham in June of 1986, and was looking for an economic development position in 1987 when Baker City and Baker County were searching for someone to fill their newly established position. It was a perfect fit.

Brian served as Baker City/County’s first-ever economic development director from 1987 through 1993. In that time, several successful projects and business development victories were won by the community: National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center at Flagstaff Hill, Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area, Hells Canyon Overlook, state’s most active Enterprise Zone, three National Scenic Byways, Powder River Correctional Facility, rehabilitation of the Baker City Historic District, and many more.

In 1994, Brian accepted the position of Regional Development Officer for the Oregon Economic Development Department. In that capacity, Brian served 37 cities in five counties. Brian was the lead development officer for several business and community development projects that improved community livability and added over 2000 jobs to the regional economy.

In 1998, motivated to focus his passion and energy again for Baker County, he ran for Chairman of the Baker County Board of Commissioners. He took office in 1999 and revamped county budgeting, negotiating, and facility improvement processes while increasing county government’s relevance in the overall direction of the county by appointing 12 successful task forces and committees.

Brian founded Orbis Group, Inc. in January of 2003 with a mission of “making communities, businesses, and organizations successful” through the application of several concepts and tools Brian developed and utilized over the past 15 years.

Brian and Suzy have two daughters, Krysti (11) and Kelsey (10). Suzy is a special education teacher and coach. Her sports teams in basketball, cross country, volleyball, and track have amassed 16 district championships and one state championship over the past 15 years.

Brian enjoys piano, golf, and studying personality and temperament. He also enjoys donating his time and voice to Baker High School sporting events as the public address announcer. Go Dawgs!