Les Cole Rocked the telecom world

Tomorrow marks one sad anniversary. Les Cole, who was founding President of ICON Communications, passed away from lung cancer. ICON was a very special company, it was based in Downtown Seattle in the Westin Building. You could to the Westlake Mall during lunch and in the summer bands would play, but I digress. ICON, a telephone long distance carrier, marketing primarily to businesses, did everything with professionalism and class whether it was for customers or employees. There was good pay, good benefits, and very few rules. We had to produce or die but this was a company I was happy to work hard for. Employees working there received generous Christmas gifts as well as birthday gifts and bonuses and tickets to ball games and what not. ICON didn't advertise (it did do a few spons0rships) and received most of it's business through the sales staff and by word of mouth. The company was bought out in 1998, and the new company just wasn't the same. I eventually left in early 2000. Unfortunately Les was a heavy smoker and had he not started that bad habit he would probably be riding his boat out in Lake Chelan right now. He was able to retire before he hit 50, unfortunately his retirement was way too short.