Daines Honors Montanan of the Week: Mack Cole of Treasure County

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today recognized Mack Cole of Treasure County, a third generation Montanan and dedicated public servant.

Treasure County

Daines’ recognition in the Congressional Record is available here.  

Through his “Montanan of the Week” initiative, Daines each week will highlight a Montanan by submitting a statement of recognition in the official Congressional Record, the document that reflects the official proceedings of Congress.

Daines welcomes anyone to nominate fellow Montanans for Daines’ “Montanan of the Week” program by calling Daines’ office at 202-224-2651 or by filling out the contact form on Daines’ website: http://www.daines.senate.gov/connect/email-steve

The following is the statement submitted to the Congressional Record:

MONTANAN OF THE WEEK 

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, this week, I have the distinct honor of recognizing Mack Cole of Treasure County, a third generation Montanan, and dedicated public servant. 

Next month, Mr. Cole will celebrate 55 years of marriage with his wife Judy.  Mack and Judy Cole were married in February 10th, 1962, in town of Hysham, one of the many beautiful small communities in the quiet and peaceful high plains of eastern Montana. 

After marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Cole spent two years in South America providing much needed services while working for the Food for Peace Program in Brazil. Mr. Cole’s experience in South America would serve as a trailhead for a lifelong journey of civic minded virtue and dedication on behalf of his fellow citizens.  

In the late 1970s, Mr. and Mrs. Cole moved down the road, west on I-90 to Billings, Montana, and they continued to build upon their honorable records of public service.  During this chapter of his life, Mr. Cole worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs in multiple western states and was involved in a wide variety of programs, including the development of irrigation projects.  His work with the Bureau of Indian Affairs took him to Wyoming, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada. After retiring from Bureau of Indian Affairs in 1993, the Coles moved back to the family ranch outside of Hysham.

Mr. Cole continued his distinguished record of public service by representing the people of Treasure County in the Montana Legislature, retiring from the State Senate in 2003.  

During his time in legislature, and even after retirement from public life, Mr. Cole has always been a steadfast supporter of responsible energy development, a critical component for the livelihood of many of his friends and neighbors.  

His humble efforts to help provide food to the hungry, keep water flowing to farms and ranches ensuring energy was always ready at the flip of a switch make him a great Montanan.  It is hard to find a better example of a fellow Montanan that’s always ready to offer a helping hand.

I want to express my deep gratitude to Mr. Cole for his dedication and service to Montana and our country.

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