PHILIP W. NOEL was born in Providence, Rhode Island. He worked his way through school as a commercial fisherman, receiving a B.A. from Brown University in 1954 and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law School in 1957. He served as Mayor of Warwick for six years before becoming governor. While in office, Noel service on the National Governors Association’s Executive Committee and chaired the Democratic Governors’ Association.