About the Exhibit

Michael Coles started the Great American Cookie Company in 1977 with only $8,000, set three transcontinental cycling world records, directed Caribou Coffee as CEO, ran for Congress, and served on the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents.

Coles’ story is anything but conventional: after overcoming a near-fatal motorcycle accident and graduating from a non-Ivy League business school, Coles’ lessons in leadership to overcome set-backs provide an invaluable case study for any student or entrepreneur in the field.

Explore the stories, artifacts, and experiences of Michael Coles in this interactive permanent exhibit, and click here to get started with an image gallery of Coles’ life.