Ms. Donna Fujimoto Cole founded Cole Chemical & Distributing, Inc., in 1980 after working the in chemical industry for 4 years at the request of her customers. Ms. Cole worked for GoldKing Chemical with a 3 percent interest in the company prior to being a 26% partner in del Rey Chemical as VP of Sales.

She is the daughter of George K. Fujimoto a 442nd Service Company veteran of WWII and Mary Masunaga Fujimoto of Denver, Colorado. They moved to south Texas as farmers in 1952 where Donna grew up. At 27, divorced with a 4 year old daughter. Ms. Cole was approached by her customers to start Cole Chemical as they were impressed with her integrity and responsiveness in the chemical industry.

Ms. Cole has started, sold, invested, and divested many types of businesses; from civil construction to drilling loss circulation materials, chemical manufacturing, real estate, promotional advertising, distribution, warehousing, blending, and packaging, to provide financing alternatives, back office support and IT integration with supply chain management services.

In 2022, Ms. Cole sold a 40 percent interest in Cole Chemical to Berryman Smith, LLC., to expand Cole Chemical’s product line and services, such as toll manufacturing and logistics with access to 500+ tank cars and 7 terminals with warehouses nationally to grow the company to the next level.

Donna Cole has been on many business boards: Houston Chemical Association, National Minority Supplier Development Council, Japan America Society Houston, the U.S.-Japan Council, Center for Asian Pacific American Women, Houston Minority Business Council, Women Business Enterprise Alliance, a Trustee for Amos Tuck School of Business and the Executive Advisory Board of the Institute of Supply Management.

Community board and advisory work includes: The Women’s Home, National Veterans Network, The Rockwell Fund, Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council, National American Leadership Forum Institute, Asia Society Texas, Royal Public Schools and Fit Houston.

Her civic duties have included Houston’s Parks Board, the City of Houston’s Asian Advisory Board, Harris County Precinct 4 Advisory Board and the Houston Forensic Science Board. She served on President George H.W. Bush’s Export Council, being a member of the first US government delegation to Taiwan since it was Formosa.

Ms. Cole and Cole Chemical has received numerous awards and recognition throughout the years and in Autumn 2021 Ms. Cole received the Japanese Imperial Decoration of the Order of the Rising Sun, Silver Rays for her contribution to promoting regional exchange and mutual understanding between Japan and the United States.

She has participated in the following leadership programs: Minority Business Executive Leadership Programs, NSMDC Kellogg Executive Leadership Program, Asian Pacific American Women’s Leadership Institute, Jewish American Committee Asian Delegation to Israel, U.S.-Japan Council’s Japanese American Leadership delegation to Japan, and The American Leadership Forum and Center for Houston’s Future.

Her philanthropy includes speaking engagements, business and student mentoring, supporting education, health care, stem, and anti-hate.

Donna’s latest interest is telling stories in film about strong women and supportive men to inspire and motivate millions of women to take care of themselves, and their families and improve their communities through Film, Plays, and Musicals.

Ms. Cole attended the University of Texas-Pan American and graduated from Manpower Business Training Institute in Computer Operations and Programming in 1972. She is a life-long learner and enjoys connecting people to people for positive change.

She is a golfer, loves to grow herbs, is a great home cook, and shares with friends and travels.