John A. Cole was the interim President of Seton Hall University from 1976-1977. He became acting President upon the death of Msgr. Thomas Fahy in 1976 and continued in this role until the appointment of Dr. Robert Conley in 1977.

John Cole was born in Pennsylvania and graduated from Penn State University before receiving his MBA from Seton Hall University and later his doctorate of letters from the China Academy of Hwa Kang in Taipei. He began teaching at Seton Hall in 1958 as an assistant professor of marketing, and founded the Office of Grants and Research, serving as its first director, before being appointed as Treasurer of the University, then assistant to the President. After the sudden death of Msgr. Fahy in 1976, Dr. Cole became interim President, the first lay person to hold that title. He later retired from Seton Hall University and served on the Board of Trustees of Georgian Court University.

John Cole married Yolanda Schenone of Keyport, N.J., and the couple had five children, John Cole, Jane Farmer, Robert Cole, Maria Roth, and Anne Cole. Prior to working at Seton Hall University, John Cole worked for the Armstrong Cork Company and Rumson Supermarket in Rumson, N.J. Former President Cole died January 17 2012 in Little Silver, N.J.

Source: John A. Cole, obituary, New Jersey Star Ledger, http://obits.nj.com/obituaries/starledger/obituary.aspx?pid=155553771, accessed April 9 2014.