W. Sterling Cole

William Sterling Cole ( born April 18, 1904 in Painted Post, Steuben County, New York, † March 15, 1987 in Washington, DC ) was an American politician. He was a member of the Republican Party for the state of New York in the House of Representatives of the United States and then the first Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Cole completed a degree at Colgate University in 1925. Then he taught between 1925 and 1926 at public schools and at the Corning Free Academy in Corning (New York). In 1929 he received the LL.B. at the Albany Law School of Union University in New York and admitted to the bar. In 1930 he opened a law office in Bath. In the years 1929 and 1930 he also worked at an investment firm in Albany.

In 1932 he tried for the first time at the Republicans for the nomination for a seat in the House of Representatives, but could not prevail. He was in 1934 elected to the House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States and represented from 3 January 1935 to return to his mandate on 1 December 1957 for the Republicans to 37 ( 1935-1945, 1953-1957 ) and the 39th Congressional District ( 1945-1953) of the State of New York. In the 83rd Congress election period, he chaired the Committee on Atomic Questions. He gave up his position to become the first Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency. In this office he held until his replacement by Sigvard Eklund from 1 December 1957 to 30 November 1961. Subsequently residing in Arlington (Virginia), he practiced as a lawyer in Washington, where he died in 1987. He was buried in Bath, New York.