11-25-2025
Mick Cornett is a former TV personality, businessman, and four-term Mayor of Oklahoma City. In 2018, he was named to Fortune Magazine’s list of the “50 Greatest Leaders in the World.” Penguin/Random House published his latest book, The Next American City. He now travels to speak in his book and consults for a diverse group of businesses.
Cornett spent 20 years as a television sportscaster, news anchor, and sports play-by-play broadcaster. Following the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, he diverted his attention to public service and served as a full-time college professor before winning a seat on the Oklahoma City Council in 2001. In 2004, he won the city-wide election for Mayor and thus began a series of record-setting political victories. His reelection percentage of 87% in 2006 is the highest in city history. During his tenure, Oklahoma City experienced an economic renaissance that is still in progress.
Cornett is best known for helping to bring an NBA franchise to Oklahoma City and for addressing the community’s shortcomings in areas of health and wellness. His leadership in passing the transformational MAPS 3 initiative has spurred an enormous amount of private investment into the city. Newsweek called him one of The 5 Most Innovative Mayors in America. The European-based World Mayor Organization named him the second-best Mayor in the World. And Governing Magazine proclaimed him a Public Official of the Year. He was the President of the United States Conference of Mayors in 2016-17. In 2018, he chose not to run for a fifth term as Mayor.
Mick earned his MBA at New York University—Stern Business School, specializing in Leadership and entrepreneurship. He also earned his B.A. in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and graduated on the Dean’s Honor Roll.
Chair of the Day: Jane Jenkins