Meet Joe
Joseph Cordell earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Texas School of Law and his bachelor’s degree in accountancy from Oklahoma State University. He is a graduate of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy and holds a Missouri CPA license. An adjunct faculty member at Washington University School of Law, Mr. Cordell also is the past president of the American Academy of Attorney-CPAs. Additionally, Mr. Cordell has been recognized by the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys for his exceptional performance in family law by naming him one of the 10 Best Family Law Attorneys for Client Satisfaction in Missouri in 2015 and 2016. The AAIOFLA is a third-party attorney rating organization that publishes an annual list of the Top 10 Family Law Attorneys in each state. Click here for AIOFLA selection criteria.
In 2019, Mr. Cordell was named an honoree of the 2019 ICON Award from Missouri Lawyers Weekly for his notable and sustained success and leadership both within and beyond the field of law. The ICON Awards are presented to distinguished attorneys ages 60 and older in recognition of their exemplary careers and longstanding commitment to the Missouri legal community. Click here to learn more about the ICON Awards.
Mr. Cordell is a devoted follower of Jesus Christ, contributes to higher education, and is an advocate of healthy lifestyles. Mr. Cordell and his wife, Yvonne, have two daughters, Elizabeth and Caroline.
Faith Ascent Ministries
The mission of Faith Ascent Ministries is to identify and answer the most relevant and pressing scientific, historical, philosophical, and ethical questions college-bound Christian teenagers are asking and being asked. As the Chairman of the Board for Faith Ascent Ministries, Mr. Cordell provides leadership and guides the effective performance of the Executive Director and the Board of Directors. Mr. Cordell is a respected voice in conservative Christian circles and has appeared on or guest-hosted radio programs including FM Talk with Jamie Allman and Phyllis Schlafly Live with Phyllis Schlafly. His columns have appeared in the American Conservative, and the St. Louis Metrovoice.
The Calorist
Not one to wade into anything tentatively, Mr. Cordell has been not only an active practitioner of a highly-specialized diet, he also is a spokesman and self-described CR evangelist for Calorie Restriction Optimal Nutrition (CRON), as well as a test subject at Washington University in St Louis, the leading research facility studying the diet. Mr. Cordell’s Calorie Restriction blog, The Calorist, details his personal experiences with the diet and lifestyle. He has appeared with Dr. Oz, on the Oprah Winfrey Show, and on the BBC, where he proudly discussed the health benefits that he has experienced as a result of practicing CR.
Washington University School of Law
Joseph Cordell and his wife, Yvonne Cordell, are graduates from the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis. In 2014, the couple generously made a gift commitment of $1 million to establish and endow the Cordell & Cordell Visiting Professorship at their law school alma mater, Washington University School of Law in St. Louis. Mr. and Mrs. Cordell were awarded Distinguished Alumna and Alumnus in 2017. Mr. Cordell also is an adjunct faculty member at Washington University School of Law.
Joseph and Yvonne Cordell Institute for Policy in Medicine & Law
In 2018, Mr. and Mrs. Cordell pledged a donation to Washington University to establish a new institute, the Joseph and Yvonne Cordell Institute for Policy in Medicine & Law, to study issues of ethics, medicine, and law. This institute will address questions raised by precision medicine and take on issues of ethics and policy in data-drive health care. They are providing annual support to the Joseph and Yvonne Cordell Institute for Policy in Medicine & Law. The institute’s stated mission is “pioneering an ethical data-driven future, promoting health and protecting people.”
In the spring of 2019, Mr. and Mrs. Cordell were featured in The Spirit of Washington University newsletter, detailing the need for the institute, which will address modern health care concerns and the laws and ethics that surround them. It also highlights their background in the Washington University community, as well as their generosity in their desire to make a lasting positive impact through the institute’s diverse educational goals in the areas of medicine and law.
Railway Exchange
Joseph Cordell is developing Railway Exchange, a multi-use commercial building project slated for downtown Black Mountain, North Carolina, in spring of 2019 with a second phase slated for completion in 2020.
This project broke ground September 20, 2018 and utilizes an original historical structure, The Ice House Building, as well as constructing new retail and apartment space. This will contribute to the long-range vision of Black Mountain, in its goal of being an entrepreneur-friendly community that promotes economic development.
The Ice House renovation will create space for a new restaurant, which will feature several distinct dining areas, and includes a multi-use building located between the Ice House and the Mountain Vista Properties real estate office up the hill. The hunt for a restaurant tenant will be headed by Black Mountain resident and commercial real estate broker Jason Burk, and each building will be named after one of the local Seven Sister Mountains. Local designers Hurt Architecture and Planning helped cultivate a design for the project that included a dynamic entry into downtown Black Mountain, utilizing its beauty and welcoming new visitors to all that it has to offer. The project also has teamed up with North Carolina-based branding company, Kudzu Brands, in helping with communications and brand development, honoring the rich history of the Black Mountain community, as well as its charm and people. Learn More About the Groundbreaking and Plans for the Future:
Learn More About the Road to Development: