Cleveland industrialist and philanthropist Peter C. Kole is the winner of the 1998 Distinguished Alumnus Award, ISU's highest award, which recognizes exemplary professional and/or personal contributions resulting in national or international visibility. A 1963 graduate of ISU with a BBA degree in business and finance, Kole is president and owner of one of the largest manufacturing firms in Cleveland. In addition, in large part through his efforts as chair of book collection for the New England Albanian Relief Organization, his hometown of Pogradec, Albania, has a library with more than 300,000 volumes. Kole has also had books shipped to Albanian schools and collected hospital and dental equipment for Albania. Kole's company, Paramount Metal Products, employs 300 in its five divisions and won Cleveland's 1992 Community Improvement Award for its efforts "to enhance local neighborhoods through reinvestment, job creation, and other improvements to the community." Kole continues to be a friend of ISU. He has endowed three scholarships at ISU with gifts totaling $150,000. "Peter C. Kole is an outstanding example of a businessman our students can emulate and admire for both his business success and community involvement," said Dr. Bill Stratton, dean of business. "The College of Business is very proud to claim Peter as one of our graduates."