Gilliam M. (Gil) Cobbs

Born in Lynchburg and raised in Bedford County, Gil Cobbs, an educator, consultant, businessman, entrepreneur, and civil servant never stands still.  His interests and accomplishments are many, his most recent being the founder, owner, and managing partner of two real estate projects in Forest, Virginia--Gilfield Village and Cobbs Corner.  

As a teenager, after graduating from Bedford County Training School, Gil enrolled in Blackburn College in Carlinville, Illinois (founded in 1857 and when Gil entered one of three work-study colleges in the United States).  In 1955, he received a B.A. degree with a major in history and then taught for one year before serving in the United States Navy for two years. Out of the Navy, and back in Lynchburg, Gil worked for the Lynchburg Health Department for six years, waiting to secure a job with the Lynchburg City Schools. 

Finally, in 1966, he began his career in education working for the Lynchburg schools as a secondary teacher at E. C. Glass High School, while also enrolling in a graduate program at the University of Virginia.  A master’s degree in school administration was awarded Gil in 1968. His position with the Lynchburg Schools changed in 1972 to that of principal at Sandusky Middle School. In 1988, he was recognized by the National Association of Secondary School Principals/Chief State School Officers as the “Outstanding Principal of the Year in Virginia,” one citation from a list of many that reflects Gil’s accomplishments as an educator.

To say that in 1989 he retired is a misnomer. He immediately joined Greenwood Partnership, a Lynchburg architecture and engineering firm, and worked as a marketing consultant to educational and health entities assisting them with determining building designs that best met their production process. Gil left Greenwood in 2005, the company now owned by VERSAR, Inc.

Always mindful of the value of public service, two recognitions tell of Gil’s dedication to his community.  He was honored with a Humanitarian Award by the Lynchburg chapter of the National Conference of Christians and Jews (today the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities) and received a citation from the Lynchburg YMCA for “Outstanding Community Service.”  That service has been varied:  a member of the Lynchburg City Council (1989-1993); 12 years as chair of the Board of Deacons for Altha Grove Baptist Church; Voter Services, Founder and President; and on the board of directors for organizations such as Centra Health, Inc., Central Virginia Community College Foundation, and Elizabeth’s Early Learning Center, to name a few.  His public service has gone beyond Lynchburg serving on the Virginia Lottery Board for ten years (two, 2-year terms as chair) and Virginia Assembly Legislative Liaison for VPI.

Throughout his working years, and along with his strong commitment to public service, Gil has always valued time with family.  In 1961, he married Irene Chambers, a fellow teacher, and over the years a frequent partner in many of his civic undertakings.  In 2005, Gil and Irene purchased, and moved into, a unique Lynchburg home known as a “House of Light.”  It contains 79 windows including five skylights and two barreled windows. Gil is sad to leave this home but at the same time looks forward to residing in a Riverside apartment, as it brings him closer to Irene, and his aunt, Virginia Jefferson, both already living at Westminster Canterbury.

In many ways Gil’s work and public service are his hobbies.  He also enjoys building and hanging bluebird houses, playing golf (a sport that he first learned at age seven), fishing, and gardening. If you ask him, he can also enlighten you on how when he was young, he acquired cooking skills that enabled him to have a small catering business when a teenager.