Background
Coulter was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 1911 and moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, graduating from Carnegie Mellon University in 1933.
Coulter was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 1911 and moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, graduating from Carnegie Mellon University in 1933.
He competed in the 1932 Olympic Games as a member of Canada"s track team and then attended graduate school at the University of Chicago, receiving a Master’s Degree in Economics in 1935.
Coulter also served as Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Association of Commerce and Industry for 27 years. Coulter’s business career began in 1935 and for the next 20 years was engaged with Chicago enterprises in manufacturing and consulting before becoming Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Association of Commerce and Industry in 1954. lieutenant was at this point Coulter’s vision for Chicago as a worldwide center for trade came into view.
He organized and directed six major international trade fairs including a visit by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip on the opening of the Saint Lawrence Seaway.
His vision of Chicago as a global city led to the creation of countless jobs, primarily through his efforts to promote international trade stemming from a 50-year exchange between American business professionals and their counterpart’s worldwide. His contributions included the establishment of, and contributions to, various civic and professional organizations concerned with business, industry, manpower, research, health, education and welfare.
He was decorated by the Governments of Great Britain, Germany, Italy, France, Austria, Finland, Sweden and Japan. His vision for Chicago will continue to be realized through scholarships he created and organizations he established, some of which have grown to be the largest of their kind in the country, including the Japan America society.
He served as the Director of the Chicago Tokyo bank for many years.
He also served as president of the Executives Club of Chicago (1948-1953) and the Sales and Marketing Executives Club of Chicago (’48-’56).
Board directors Chicago chapter American Red Cross, 1953—1959. Trustee Village of Golf, Illinois, 1951—1955. Board directors Better Business Bureau Metropolitan Chicago, Hospital Planning Council Metropolitan Chicago, Chicago Council Foreign Relations.
Honorary trustee Skokie Valley Community Hospital, president, 1955—1957, 1966—1970. Board governors International House. Executive council Chicago Civil Defense Corps.
Member Northwestern University Associates, Cook County Home Rule Commission, Rehabilitation Institute Chicago Associates, Cook County Economic Development Advisory Committee, Illinois Development Board. Member national advisory board American Security Council Education Foundation. Member advisory board Chicago Area Council Boy Scouts Am.
Member national advisory council National Legal Center Public Interest. Citation public service University Chicago. Board directors Chicago chapter United Service Organizations, Chicago.
Board governors University Chicago. Executive committee Illinois Council Economic Education. Member citizens board, council School Business Association.
Member citizens committee University Illinois. Member advisory committee University Chicago Metropolitan Institute. Member of Mid-American Swedish Trade Association, Chicago Council Foreign Relations (Chicago committee), Museum of Science and Industry, Art Institute Chicago, Field Museum Natural History, Chicago Architecture Found, Chicago History Society, Royal Horticultural Society, American Management Association, Illinois Association Chamber of C Executives, Operation ABLE (director 1988), Finnish American Chamber of C, Midwest, American Austrian Society Midwest, French-American Chamber of C, United States (director Midwest chapter), Japan-American Society Chicago (director, president 1985-1988, honorary director 1988), Midwest-Japan Association, International Business Council, Geography Society Society Chicago (director), United States Olympians (director Midwest chapter), National Planning Association, United States Chamber of C (banking, monetary and fiscal affairs committee), Newcomen Society North America, National Sales Executives, Circumnavigators, Executives (president 1950-1951), Mid-American, Commercial, Sales and Marketing Executives 1953-1954, (award 1979), Glenview (Golf, Illinois), Economic, Canada University, International Trade, University (Chicago), Lambda Alpha.
Married Mary Alice Leach, November 25, 1937. Children: Sara, Anne, Jane, Thomas World World War II Investment analyst Shaw & Company.