Billionaire to speak at the IMU today

There are 946 billionaires in the world, according to Forbes magazine. The story of one of these individuals began in an apartment in Bloomington, the town in which he still resides.\nMeet Bill Cook. \nCook, a world-renowned entrepreneur and philanthropist, will speak at 7 p.m. today in the Whittenberger Auditorium in the Indiana Memorial Union as part of the Council for Advancing Student Leadership speaker series. \nListed as the 273rd wealthiest person in the world, Cook has a net worth of $3.2 billion, according to Forbes magazine. He is most famous for founding the Cook Group, a company that sells medical devices and supplies and is based in Bloomington.\nWhile the Cook Group has been responsible for his financial success, Cook’s philanthropic efforts, which include restoring historic properties such as the West Baden Springs Hotel in French Lick, founding the Monroe County YMCA and sponsoring the Star of Indiana Drum and Bugle Corps, make him a respected and appreciated Indiana citizen, said Wes Erwin, Council for Advancing Student Leadership’s program coordinator.\n“If you reach a status in life where you are able to give money back to causes that you feel are important, that is one really dynamic leadership quality,” Erwin said. \nSeeing a successful person like Cook contribute to the community in such an influential manner is something from which everyone can grow, Erwin said. \n“You’ll come to hear his amazing story,” Erwin said. “Whether you have got the assets that (Cook) has got or not, you can always learn from someone else that has got greater experience.” \nHaving a guest of such stature at the state level will make today all the more meaningful, Erwin said. \n“It’s big for us,” Erwin said. “We’re finally starting to branch off of campus and bringing in speakers who aren’t necessarily affiliated with IU.” \nHowever, Cook and IU are connected in some ways. While Cook received his bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., Cook once served on the IU board of trustees. His wife, Gayle, is an IU alumna. \nPast speakers of the Council for Advancing Student Leadership speaker series have included the late IU football coach, Terry Hoeppner; former IU men’s head soccer coach and member of the NCAA Hall of Fame, Jerry Yeagley; Bloomington attorney Ken Nunn; and Indiana State Rep. Peggy Welch.