Stephen V. Cole

Stephen V. Cole is an American game designer and the CEO of Amarillo Design Bureau (also known as ADB or, incorrectly, Starfleet Games) which publishes Star Fleet Battles, Federation and Empire, Federation Commander, Prime Directive (a series of RPGs for D20, D20M, and GURPS), and other wargames set in the Star Fleet Universe. ADB became ADB, Inc., in 1999.

Career Stephen Cole is a registered engineer and former Texas State Guard company commander (and operations officer). He was awarded the Texas Medal of Merit with "V" for valor, a non U.S. military citation. While attending school at Texas Tech in 1973, he founded the company JagdPanther Publications, which published JagdPanther (1973–1976), a magazine which featured complete small games in every issue in addition to scenarios and variants for existing games. Allen Eldridge, who Cole had previously met at an Amarillo game club, joined Cole at his company a few years later.

In autumn 1978, Cole and Eldridge co-founded Task Force Games to sell games only to wholesalers and retailers and initially not to individual consumers.

Cole was previously a contributor to StrategyPage that "provides quick, easy access to what is going on in military affairs."

Cole has been married since 1979 to Leanna. They have owned several Felis bengalensis wildcat crossbreeds. Cole regularly visits the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary where he gives talks on wolf nutrition and behavior as Chef Steve.