Northwood University is celebrating a $150,000 gift from alumnus William “Bill” Cole in support of the Wildstein Learning and Academic Center, a transformative new facility that will serve as a vibrant community hub and new gateway to Northwood’s growing automotive, mobility, and professional education ecosystem.
Cole’s gift supports a project that will integrate modern classrooms, collaborative learning spaces, and a premier conference venue designed to bring students, educators, and industry partners together in new ways. The center will replace the existing NADA Hotel and Conference Center. The project will be funded by more than $14 million in leadership gifts from Dr. Alan Jay Wildstein, founder, president, and CEO of the Alan Jay Automotive Network, the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation, and Reynolds and Reynolds, the leading provider of software, services, and forms in automotive retail.
“Northwood has always been closely connected to the industries it serves, especially automotive,” said Northwood University Senior Vice President Emeritus Dr. Timothy G. Nash, who oversees the Northwood University Center for the Advancement of Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship. “Bill Cole understands the value of that connection firsthand, as well as the transformative power of a Northwood education. His generosity helps ensure future generations of students will learn in an environment that reflects the dynamic industries they are preparing to lead — while continuing to advance The Northwood Idea.”
The Wildstein Learning and Academic Center will strengthen Northwood’s long-standing leadership in automotive business education while supporting expanded programming in mobility, motorsports, and emerging transportation technologies. The facility will also feature a conference center capable of hosting industry gatherings, campus signature events, and community programs.
“Bill’s gift is an investment not only in facilities, but in the students who will benefit from the experiences this center will make possible,” said Advancement Officer Brian Parr. “The Wildstein Center will bring together students, faculty, and industry leaders in one collaborative environment. Support from alumni like Bill Cole helps make that vision possible.”
Cole, a 1978 graduate of Northwood University, credits his time at Northwood with shaping both his career and his commitment to free enterprise. A fifth-generation West Virginia businessman, Cole began his career in his family’s heavy-duty truck dealership and later expanded into automotive retail.
Today, he serves as dealer principal of Bill Cole Automall in Bluefield, West Virginia.
Beyond his business career, Cole served as President of the West Virginia Senate, where he played a key role in advancing regulatory reforms and free-market policies, including the passage of Right to Work legislation. He currently serves on the board of the Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy and is vice president of the Paul & Carol Cole Foundation Inc. He also serves as chairman of the Bluefield Economic Development Authority and is a board member of the Bluefield Arts and Revitalization Corporation and Bluefield State University.
In a 2021 interview with Northwood, Cole reflected on the influence of his education, noting that Northwood reinforced his belief in free enterprise and provided the foundation for his success in both business and public service.
“Northwood changed my life,” Cole said. “The education I received there shaped how I think about business, opportunity, and service. Supporting projects like the new Wildstein Learning and Academic Center is about ensuring that future students have the same opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed.” Cole’s gift contributes to the continued momentum of Northwood’s When We Are Free comprehensive campaign, a historic $100 million initiative focused on expanding scholarships, strengthening faculty excellence, enhancing campus facilities, and advancing the university’s mission to develop free-enterprise leaders.
