James E. Coles, president of Western Peterbilt, in Seattle, Washington, was named 2000 ATD/Heavy Duty Trucking Truck Dealer of the Year at the 37th annual convention of the American Truck Dealers (ATD) in San Antonio in April. As a young man, Coles dreamed of owning his own company. After earning an engineering degree, he went to work for Caterpillar as a machine sales and dealer representative. He left Caterpillar in 1975 to take over a Peterbilt dealership in Riverton, Wyoming. Coles opened Wyoming Peterbilt in Casper in 1976. In 1983 he opened Western Peterbilt. Today, his operations include dealerships in Washington, California and Alaska, a lease and rental division, nine service locations, three body shops, a full frame/axle facility, a refuse systems division, and insurance services.