Researching Thomas Coulter

After completing a medical degree in Dublin, Coulter studied botany in Geneva for 17 months under Swiss taxonomist Augustin de Candolle. He then left Switzerland and became a physician with the Real del Monte Company in Mexico. During this period he collected and catalogued plants in the region. He eventually left Mexico and travelled the world exploring many countries and conducting botanical research culminating in Arizona and Alta California in the early 19th century. He returned to Ireland in 1834 and became the founding curator of the herbarium at Trinity College, Dublin. Though he was a physician by profession, Coulter achieved success in different fields and is best remembered as an explorer and a pioneer in botany.

In addition to hockey Coulter was an accomplished all around athlete having played football and setting track and field records including 29th fastest in the world in 1931.

Coulter was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 1911 and moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, graduating from Carnegie Mellon University in 1933. He competed in the 1932 Olympic Games as a member of Canada's track team and then attended graduate school at the University of Chicago, receiving a master's degree in Economics in 1935. There he met Mary Alice, whom he married in 1937.

Coulter's business career began in 1935 and for the next 20 years was engaged with Chicago enterprises in manufacturing and consulting before becoming Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Association of Commerce and Industry in 1954. It was at this point Coulter's vision for Chicago as a worldwide center for trade came into view. He organized and directed six major international trade fairs including a visit by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip on the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway. His vision of Chicago as a global city led to the creation of countless jobs, primarily through his efforts to promote international trade stemming from a 50-year exchange between American business professionals and their counterpart's worldwide. His contributions included the establishment of, and contributions to, various civic and professional organizations concerned with business, industry, manpower, research, health, education and welfare. He was decorated by the Governments of Great Britain, Germany, Italy, France, Austria, Finland, Sweden and Japan.

He received the “Award of Merit” from Carnegie Mellon University for outstanding personal achievement in the field of business organization and the Citation for Public Service from the University of Chicago. His vision for Chicago will continue to be realized through scholarships he created and organizations he established, some of which have grown to be the largest of their kind in the country, including the Japan America society.

He served as the Director of the Chicago Tokyo bank for many years. He also served as president of the Executives Club of Chicago (1948-1953) and the Sales and Marketing Executives Club of Chicago (’48-’56).