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AWB Legends: C. Lee Coulter |
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Written On: September/October 2004 |
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Written By: by Charles Henry Thomas |
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Coulter Was AWB’s Country Lawyer Who Found His Way Around Seattle’s City Slickers
If you ask C. David Gordon, AWB’s president for 22 years (from 1955 to 1965 and from 1967 to 1979), who was his most valued and trusted colleague, without hesitation he says C. Lee Coulter. Since every good leader needs an accomplished lawyer, Gordon got more than his money’s worth out of Coulter as both a staff adviser and volunteer leader.
Like Gordon, Coulter is part of America’s greatest generation—a World War II veteran. Unlike Gordon who was raised in Seattle, Coulter came from the Midwest after graduating from Northwestern University. Gordon was an Army Air Corps officer while Coulter was in the Navy stationed in the Puget Sound on a top-secret project. After his discharge, he finished law school at Northwestern, graduated in 1949 and returned to Seattle.
Today, Coulter is retired and living in his waterfront home on Maury Island, while Gordon has a beachfront place on San Juan Island. Both bought their property many years ago and enjoy the serenity of the Puget Sound.
Coulter Starts Private Practice
In Washington, Coulter started with Gov. Art Langley’s Administration in the early 1950s as an attorney and legal examiner for the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission. It was during that time that he met Ed “Deke” Davis, a former eastern Washington legislator who served as AWI (Association of Washington Industries) managing director (same as president) from 1945-55.
Gordon, who lobbied for Weyerhaeuser in the early 1950s, met Coulter through Davis — sparking a 50-year friendship.
When Gordon was named AWI managing director, he contracted with Coulter to be the organization’s attorney. At the time, AWI’s offices were in the White-Henry-Stuart building (present day site of the Rainier Tower) on Fifth Avenue in Seattle and the organization had but four employees. Coulter, now in private practice, devoted much of his time to AWB, especially during legislative sessions.
Admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. District Court of Western Washington, he immediately took over writing the Association’s Legislative Digests. That document, which was widely used by lawmakers in Olympia, outlined the content of each bill and their amendments in lay terms.
“Lee frequently worked beyond 2:00 a.m., only to be back bright and early in the morning (in Olympia). He seldom betrayed his warm compassion or his lively sense of humor, regardless of how little sleep he got. Old hands at AWB headquarters remember him for his colorful bandannas and his humble demeanor,” the May 1978 issue of Washington Business reported.
“It was the document that legislators used almost exclusively,” Coulter said. “It is something I am very proud of.” The digest was hard, laborious work and with proliferation of bills and state investments in staff and technology, AWB abandoned the service in the 1980s.
GTE Hires Coulter as VP for Northwest Operations
Coulter resigned as AWI’s general counsel in 1967 to become vice president and general counsel for General Telephone Company (GTE) of the Northwest, now Verizon. Later, Alaska was added to his territory.
Even though Coulter left AWI’s staff, he was instrumental in helping Gordon transform AWI into the Association of Washington Business (AWB) in 1971. Like Gordon, Coulter believed AWB should be the state’s “premiere” business organization and not just represent manufacturers.
At GTE, Coulter became an active AWB volunteer serving as secretary/treasurer, vice chair, and finally chair of the board. He also presided over the Human Resources Council, which dealt with the contentious labor relations issues such as workers’ comp, unemployment insurance and workplace regulations.
In April 1981, Coulter was elected to chair AWB’s Board. During his tenure, then-Gov. John Spellman, a Seattle Republican, and the GOP-controlled Legislature faced a number of revenue shortfalls due to a recession and high interest rates. At the time, revenue forecasting was not precise, so lawmakers established the Revenue Forecasting Council at the Office of Financial Management to give more precise estimates.
Ultimately, Spellman called a number of special legislative sessions to cut spending and programs and raise taxes and fees. Spellman and lawmakers finally resorted to temporarily reinstating the sales tax on most grocery items to balance the budget. That tax was abolished starting July 1, 1978.
Coulter Retired to Maury Island
Coulter often said he was just a country lawyer trying to find his way around and through the city slickers. After retiring from GTE, he became a true country lawyer on rural Maury and Vashon Islands. He even served as a district court judge when the elected jurist became incapacitated. In traditional Coulter form, he convinced King County to make him “judge pro-tem,” enabling him to preside while the sick judge received the
much-needed salary and benefits.
Today, he remains an avid AWB and Business Week supporter. “I believe in the Association—always have. I gave my heart and soul to it and Business Week. All employers and business owners should belong to AWB because it is the organization which saves our bacon every day.”
While macular degeneration has impaired his vision and made it difficult for him to practice law, Coulter, now 80, remains active. He and his former wife, Maribeth, have a son, Warren, who produced the “Judge Judy Show” in Los Angeles and married daughters, Maribeth and Kay who live in Oregon and Florida respectively.
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