Mick Cornett

Mick Cornett addressing the PRSA in 2010.

Mick Cornett is the current Mayor of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. He also serves on notable positions including the national President of the Republican Mayors and Local Officials (RMLO), and also serves on the Board of Trustees for the U.S. Conference of Mayors. He was also Chairman of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Urban Economic Affairs Committee until 2007.

Cornett, a Republican, was elected to the Oklahoma City Council in 2001. He became the Mayor of Oklahoma City on 2 March 2004. He was re-elected to a second term on 7 March 2006 by a 87.6% margin, the largest in city history. In 2010, he became only the fourth mayor in Oklahoma City history to be elected to a third term, defeating Steve Hunt by gaining 58% of the vote. In 2009, he was named one of the top 10 most powerful Oklahomans by the Oklahoma City Friday newspaper, ranking ahead of the state's two U.S. Senators. In 2010, he was named the Public Official of the Year by Governing Magazine and placed second, behind the Mayor of Mexico City, in the London-based City Mayors Foundation’s “World Mayor Award.” Cornett received an MBA, specializing in management, entrepreneurship and leadership, from NYU Stern School of Business in July 2011.

Cornett is a native of Oklahoma City and graduate of Putnam City High School and the University of Oklahoma. He has three sons: Mike, Casey and Tristan.

Credits and accomplishments

Accomplishments in media and advertising

Cornett earned a journalism degree in TV news and has worked in news and sports as a reporter, anchor, and manager in Oklahoma City. As a reporter, he covered city politics from 1997 to 1999. In 1999 he started his own video production company, Mick Cornett Video Productions, specializing in jobs for the corporate and legal sectors. Cornett is the co-host of The Verdict, a local Oklahoma City television show where they discuss legal and social issues. Cornett served as an Executive Vice President of Ackerman McQueen from 2009–2011, during which the Oklahoma Ad Club named him 2010's "Ad Man of the Year."

Economic growth

Cornett is a proponent for progressive issues/initiatives such as rapid and mass transit, economic diversification, urban renaissance, and civic beautification. Neighborhoods such as Asia District, Uptown, MidTown, Capital Hill, the Oklahoma Health Center, the Eastside, and numerous others have all experienced an economic revitalization during his tenure.

Downtown has experienced a continued renaissance (since 1993) under Cornett's leadership, earning Oklahoma City the moniker Renaissance City from tourists and local residents. Among many successful ventures, the historic Skirvin hotel was renovated and reopened under the Hilton banner in February 2007 after nearly two decades of abandonment. The hotel is considered to be the finest in the state.

Oklahoma City's growth under Cornett is in another way evidenced by its population growth. In June 2007, the U.S. Census announced its estimate that Oklahoma City had grown in city population to over 547,000 residents; over 1.26 percent between July 2005 and July 2006. Since the official Census in 2000, Oklahoma City had grown over eight percent according to the Census Bureau, making it the 12th-fastest growing large city (over 500,000 in population) in the United States.

Other recent initiatives have also included his chairmanship of the Core to Shore committee of city leaders, and continued job growth in greater Oklahoma City. Led by almost 2,000 jobs that Dell brought to Oklahoma City, the greater Oklahoma City area gained over 72,000 new jobs in Cornett's first five years in office.

MAPS 3

In December 2009, Cornett led the way to successful voter passage of the MAPS 3 initiative, which includes eight quality-of-life capital projects to be constructed in Oklahoma City over the last decade.

MAPS for Kids

One of Cornett top priorities has been the implementation of MAPS for Kids. That initiative is responsible for rebuilding over renovating every single building in the innercity school district.

NBA teams

Cornett is widely credited with bringing the National Basketball Association to Oklahoma City when Hurricane Katrina forced the New Orleans Hornets to relocate in 2005. Cornett's behind-the-scenes work prior to Katrina put Oklahoma City in position to become the temporary home. For two full seasons, the team played no less than 35 games annually at the Ford Center.

On December 20, 2007, Cornett announced an initiative to renovate Ford Center in hopes of securing an NBA team. The initiative went to the voters of Oklahoma City on March 4, 2008 and passed by a 62% margin. On July 2, 2008, it became official that the NBA's SuperSonics franchise, headed by local businessman Clayton Bennett, were relocating to Oklahoma City for the 2008-2009 season.

2010 Annual Meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors

In June 2007, Cornett announced that Oklahoma City had secured the 2010 Annual Meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Previous hosts have included other prominent major cities such as Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami, Boston, Chicago, and Denver. The meeting occurred in Oklahoma City June 11–14, 2010.

"This City Is Going On A Diet"

On December 31, 2007, Cornett put Oklahoma City on a "diet," launching the web site, www.thiscityisgoingonadiet.com. He appeared on The Ellen Degeneres Show to promote the initiative on January 17, 2008. He also teamed up with Taco Bell and local restaurants to promote healthy menu choices. This initiative also garned Cornett an invitation to sit with First Lady Michelle Obama at the 2010 State of the Union address.

National Awards

In 2010, Governing Magazine named Cornett "Public Official of the Year" and put him on the cover.

Also in 2010, he was named runner-up of the World Mayor prize, and also the recipient of the World Mayor Project's 2010 World Mayor Commendation, in recognition of the economic and civic progress of Oklahoma City.^[1][2]

Other Political Activities

On 11 May 2006, Cornett announced that he would be running to fill the seat in the United States House of Representatives vacated by Ernest Istook. On August 22, 2006, he faced Lt. Governor Mary Fallin in a GOP run-off election. Fallin won, and was elected to Congress in the general election.

Following Fallin's decision to run for governor in 2010, Cornett was widely considered a possible candidate for the seat, but decided to run for re-election as mayor.^[3]

In 2008, Cornett was scheduled to address the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, but his speech was canceled when reaction to Hurricane Gustav suspended the convention.

In 2010, Cornett's Chief of Staff, David Holt (politician), was elected to the Oklahoma Senate.

On Nov. 15th, 2011, Cornett voted to make sexual orientation a protected class ^[4] in city employment opportunities.

References

1. ^ vom Hove, Tamm (December 7, 2010). "Marcelo Ebrard, Mayor of Mexico City awarded the 2010 World Mayor Prize". worldmayor.com. World Mayor Project. http://www.worldmayor.com/contest_2010/world-mayor-2010-results.html. Retrieved December 8, 2010. 
2. ^ Dean, Bryan (December 8, 2010). "OKC Mayor Mick Cornett recognized as second best mayor in the world". The Oklahoman. http://www.newsok.com/okcs-mick-cornett-recognized-as-second-best-mayor-in-the-world/article/3521667. Retrieved December 8, 2010. 
3. ^ http://www.politico.com/blogs/scorecard/0309/Fallin_leaving_the_House.html?showall3347144
4. ^ http://newsok.com/sexual-orientation-protection-makes-few-waves-in-local-oklahoma-governments/article/3618659

• The City of Oklahoma City. Mick Cornett, Mayor of Oklahoma City. OKC.gov. URL accessed 15 March 2006.
• CityMayors.com profile
• About The Verdict. URL accessed 15 March 2006.
• Mick Cornett for US Congress
• ArenaFan Articles by Mick Cornett

Political offices
Preceded by Kirk Humphreys	Mayor of Oklahoma City 2004–present	Incumbent

Persondata
Name	Cornett, Mick
Alternative names	Mick
Short description	Mayor of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Date of birth
Place of birth	Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Date of death
Place of death