Tenderfoot and finally Eagle Scout, for which he earned his sash (he still has it) in 1946. He remains involved with the organization and has been honored by the National Boy Scout group for service to Scouting. He served as president of the local council twice, in 1988 and 1998, and received the Distinguished Eagle Award recognizing his 50 years of continuous service. Coil headed north after high school, attending the University of California at Berkeley, where he was on the swimming and water polo teams. He graduated in 1954 with a degree in civil engineering and joined the Navy, serving as a Seabee in the Philippines. Afterward, he earned a law degree on the GI Bill, but didn’t pursue that as a career. Instead, he joined a small engineering firm, and he was on his way. Despite his long hours, the years haven’t been all work for Coil. He has spent thousands of hours in public service. He was a Riverside councilman in the 1960s and has served on a large
20 | riversidethemag.com | april-may 2013
Henry W. Coil Jr. with part of the staff at Tilden-Coil Constructors
cross-section of boards and committees for institutions including Riverside Community College District Foundation, La Sierra University, University of Redlands, Riverside Arts Foundation, the American Red Cross, Mission Inn Foundation, and UCR Foundation. In 2011, he was honored with the Roy Hord Volunteer of the Year Award by the Riverside Downtown Partnership.
Coil said his civic-mindedness was modeled by his parents, both of whom were prominent professionals and active in the community. His father served on the planning commission for more than two decades, as well as being involved with the Bar Association and the library board. It is that legacy, in part, that prompted Coil to honor them in the form of a $5 million gift to the Riverside Community College District. The money, donated in 2010, will be used to fund programs at the eventual Henry W. Coil Sr. and Alice Edna Coil School for the Arts in downtown. These days, Tilden-Coil employs 96 people in management positions and support staff, and hires others for various projects, with about 25 to 30 jobs ongoing at one time. Coil said the company has little turnover because, “We are very particular about who we hire.” He left the top spot when he did, he explained, because “I wanted it to be turned over to the younger fellows. I think it’s a mistake for a senior guy to hang on.” “Henry is like a father figure to many of us, and especially me,” said Brian Jaramillo, Tilden-Coil president — the fourth in the company’s 75-year history. “He has been a great example of the enduring values of our organization. He is the ultimate leader who wants the very best for us and our community, and yet he does not have to be in