The Cole Group. Providing solutions for achieving successful outcomes. Our vision is to be the consulting group of choice within our service area for churches, non-profits and businesses.

Our Business

The Cole Group was created as a result of the passion Dean Cole has for helping churches, non-profits and privately-held businesses transform their visions into reality. Organizations often have great plans that are hindered by financial concerns, shortage of funding and the lack of a feasible strategic plan. The leadership has existing responsibilities and competing priorities that make it difficult to provide the required committed focus to internally navigate a project to a fruitful outcome. The Cole Group is here for you! We relationally engage with our clients and provide the qualified leadership and guidance to achieve positive outcomes. Through effective expertise and extended experience, we provide a broad suite of services to assist you. Please visit our services page, or contact us directly for additional information.

Who We Are

Dean Cole, Principal

Dean has over 40 years experience including being a CPA on staff with an international accounting firm; CFO of a large privately held corporation; owner of two small businesses; board member of an international fundraising organization; capital funds developer for main-line denominational conference; generosity strategist with major church consulting firm; pastor in two rural churches; various leadership positions in home church; extensive fundraising experience as a volunteer with various not-for-profit organizations.

Michael Cole, Consulting CFO and Generosity Strategist

Michael brings a diverse skill set to The Cole Group from his background in accounting, finance and business management. As Chief Financial Officer of Knox Energy, Inc., a privately held oil and gas production and exploration company, Michael oversaw all areas of accounting and finance, financial statement preparation and administrative operations, including IT and human resources. In nearly ten years with the company, Michael previously held the position of Special Projects Manager, and also assisted the owners with raising drilling capital through private placement offerings, investor relations, economic modeling and valuation work for drilling, acquisitions and divestitures. Prior to joining Knox, he spent over six years with Deloitte & Touche LLP as the Audit Manager for a public chemicals manufacturer with over $1 billion in sales.

Michael is a member of the Ohio Oil and Gas Association serving on the Audit Committee, the Petroleum Accounting Society of Appalachia, and the Ohio Geological Society. He is the Permanent Endowment Fund Committee Chair at King Ave United Methodist Church, and previously served on the Finance Committee.

Michael thrives in a collaborative atmosphere, facilitating information flow across departments to maximize productivity and success.

Michael has a B.S. in Business Administration with Honors in Accounting from The Ohio State University.