C. Lee Cooke, Jr.
C. Lee Cooke, 46th Mayor of Austin, was a member of the Austin Jaycees from 1972 to 1977. In that brief period, Cooke was elected to the Board, 1st Vice President and President in 1975. Leading the 275 member chapter, Austin was named the Top Chapter in Texas for the first time since 1940. and 4th Best in the U.S.Jaycees. He stated in those 6 years, he gained valuable knowledge about Austin as well as the men who lead the chapter from 1935. Many Jaycees became leaders in Austin politics and civic endeavors, but Lee was only the third Jaycee to become Mayor of the Capitol City. He was named Five Outstanding Young Texan in 1979 and made a Jaycee Senator. In 2008, the U.S. Jaycee Foundation inducted Lee into the ‘Hall of Leadership’ in San Diego. Cooke was elected to the Austin City Council in 1977, served as Mayor-Pro-Tem and was elected Mayor in 1988. From 1983 to 1987 he was the President of the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce and commissioned the Stanford Economic Plan to expand Austin’s technology, music, convention, research and information sectors. This period brought Austin the SXSW music festival, 3M, SEMETECH, a new convention center, redevelopment of the Central City and a decision on a new airport thus catapulting Austin to the international stage. He was the only Austin Mayor to come from the High Tech industry,working for Texas Instruments from 1972 to 1983. Working with the University of Texas to found the Austin Technology Incubator in 1989, Cooke founded start-ups Habitek International and U.S.Medical Systems in 1991. He has over 35 years of executive management experience beginning with his service in the U.S.Air Force as a Captain and was awarded the Bronze Star in Vietnam.
