William Sterling Cole
William Sterling Cole, 1958
1st Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency
In office December 1, 1957 – November 30, 1961
Succeeded by	Sigvard Eklund
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York
In office January 3, 1935 – December 1, 1957
Preceded by	Gale H. Stalker
Succeeded by	Howard W. Robison
Constituency	37th district (1935–45) 39th district (1945–53) 37th district (1953–57)
Personal details
Born	April 18, 1904 Painted Post, New York
Died	March 15, 1987 (aged 82) Washington, D.C.
Alma mater	Colgate University Albany Law School

William Sterling Cole (April 18, 1904 – March 15, 1987) was an American politician, lawyer, and civil servant who served as the first Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency from 1957 to 1961. Before his appointment to the IAEA he was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from New York.

Biography

W. Sterling Cole was born in Painted Post, New York. He graduated from Colgate University in 1925 and Albany Law School in 1929. Cole practiced law in Bath, New York.^[1]

A Republican, Cole was elected to Congress in 1934 and served from January 3, 1935 until his resignation on December 1, 1957. Cole voted in favor of the Civil Rights Act of 1957.^[2] He resigned to become the first Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency and remained at that post until 1961.^[1]

After leaving the IAEA Cole resided in Arlington, Virginia and practiced law in Washington, D.C. He died in Washington on March 15, 1987.^[1]