Global Spotlight: A Conversation with Mayor Bob Coble

September 5, 2019

Columbia World Affairs Council (CWAC) intern Lydia DeFelice interviewed Bob Coble last month to gain personal insight in his mission to build global engagement in Columbia.  

Lydia currently studies International Relations at the University of Edinburgh. Her interest in global relations has led her to interview individuals, such as Bob Coble, who have contributed in promoting international activities in Columbia.  

Bob Coble, former Mayor of the City of Columbia, joined the Columbia World Affairs Council as Chairman in 2010. Aside from his leadership in Columbia World Affairs Council, Mayor Bob, as he is affectionately known, serves as chair of Nexsen Pruet’s South Carolina Public Policy and Governmental Affairs Group. He has also been named Ambassador of the Year by the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce and serves on the Columbia Urban League Board and S.C. Advisory Board of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition.


Lydia DeFelice:
What initially prompted you to launch the Columbia World Affairs Council? What was your ultimate goal for global engagement in Columbia?

Bob Coble:
Two things. Firstly, Fred Monk and George Wolfe were the ones who started CWAC. Now it’s been running for over 25 years. I was Mayor when it was founded, but it really stemmed from a column that Fred Monk wrote when he worked for The State Newspaper about global involvement. At the same time, I was Mayor and we were trying to aggressively market ourselves and go on international trips for economic development, so the two combined together. I did not become chair of CWAC until I left being Mayor. Economic development was the driving force for me.

Lydia DeFelice:
Was there a personal experience that prompted this path for you?

Bob Coble:
I majored in Government and International Affairs (GENT) at USC, but I had not traveled abroad in any way yet. I was on the Richland County Council and we had been on trips but not overseas. That started when I was Mayor. On our first trip to Germany, I said I’d be our cracker-jack and I got a German professor at USC to teach me German words and phrases that I would need. I got there and quickly determined that everyone spoke English and they preferred it so they could practice.

Lydia DeFelice:
How has Columbia changed during your time as a resident and from your perspective as a Mayor?

Bob Coble:
I think Columbia in some ways, from an international standpoint, has always been the University of South Carolina and has always had a major footprint in international affairs because of that.  Moreover, we have the military post. Our sister city is Kaiserslautern in Germany and that’s what the military post calls K-town, so we have a lot of connections there. The renaissance of Columbia that was started over a period of time has really come to fruition. If you look at the Convention Center, that was something we worked on for many years that opened in 2004. For Main St., streetscaping had to occur. We went to other cities Main Streets to learn how they were effective.

Lydia DeFelice:
What would you like to see from Columbia in ten years?

Bob Coble:
I would like to see the Convention Center expanded. We need a Convention Center Hotel that would take into account the expanded convention.

Secondly, an expansion of USC towards the river is important. The BullStreet District will be a major development for Columbia too. I would like to see that successfully completed and continue that momentum.

Lydia DeFelice:

What does Columbia have that other cities do not?

Bob Coble:
Our advantages are a major research university, a major military post in the city limits, a beautiful river in the middle of the metro area, and a vibrant downtown! So, when you talk about the Convention Center expanding, it will do so in the heart of the Vista where you have restaurants and everything is walkable, so it is situated perfectly.

Lydia DeFelice:
What can Columbia learn from other cities?

Bob Coble:
I think we can always learn from other places and see what works. When I was Mayor, we would always go on a trip to another city to learn from them. We learned a lot from Atlanta in terms of how Georgia Tech’s research benefited them. Austin was a particularly good example. They have the University of Texas and a major river running through the town, so they have a lot of similarities to Columbia. Raleigh was another good one. They have a major research campus in the city limits, it is different from ours because it was a state park, but we learned a lot from that.

Lydia DeFelice:
Is there a specific candidate for the 2020 Presidential Election that shows valuable engagement with world affairs?

Bob Coble:
You would have to start with Vice President Biden. He clearly has a long track record of being involved with foreign affairs. Of course, the US Global Leadership Coalition is trying to meet with the various candidates. I am impressed with a number of candidates, one being Cory Booker. He was Mayor of Newark while I was Mayor, so I got to see him in action. The same goes for Julian Castro. Beto has the experience of being in El Paso, that really is an international city. Lastly, Kamala Harris, you can’t be Senator of California if you aren’t a part of the international community.

Lydia DeFelice:
What is your best advice for students and young people as they begin their careers?

Bob Coble:
The best advice I ever got was from my law school roommate, Leigh, which was to return every phone call every day. That sets the tone for never putting things off or putting people off. It is something I think, no matter what your goal in life, is very good advice. It allows you never to be perceived as arrogant, aloof, or distant, always in touch. From that approach, I think they call me Mayor Bob, and I think they did that because of the accessibility. You can’t be accessible if you don’t return every phone call.