Will Wynn '84

Prior to holding public office in Austin, Will Wynn has a successful 30+ year career in the commercial real estate development industry with projects in Chicago, Dallas, Houston and Austin.

Wynn was Mayor of Austin, Texas from 2003 to 2009 and also served on the Austin City Council 2000 to 2003. Prior to being elected to public office, Wynn chaired the Downtown Austin Alliance, and had long been a leading advocate for transforming downtown Austin into one of the most vibrant in the U.S. His tenure in office saw transformational, positive change to the urban core, particularly related to residential development and the expansion of cultural and performing arts venues. He oversaw the successful master-planning and redevelopment of the 750-acre former municipal airport into a model for sustainable large-scale urban infill development. The property now has over 10,000 jobs and 16,400 residents.

In addition to his many duties in Austin, Wynn rose to a leadership position with the U.S. Conference of Mayors organization. From 2004 to 2009, he chaired the USCM Energy Committee and helped to drive national debate on federal energy policy and climate protection. As Mayor, Wynn also served as – and significantly amplified the role of – Chairman of the Board of Austin Energy, now considered by industry analysts to be one of the most progressive, environmentally-friendly electric utilities in the U.S.

Wynn was named Austinite of the Year; was named Energy Executive of the Year by the (9,000-member) Association of Energy Engineers; received the Alliance to Save Energy’s prestigious Charles H. Percy Public Service Award; is a Distinguished Alumni of Texas A&M’s College of Architecture; and, following Austin’s response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, was named Local Public Official of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers.

After leaving public office, he has advised a number of governments, utilities and private entities on matters related to sustainability, and urban and economic development.

In 2014, he joined the Municipio de Guimaraes in Portugal as a member of a three-person, non-European international committee who advises the Mayor and oversaw the winning application for Guimaraes to be selected as the 2026 European Green Capital, as awarded by the annually by the European Commission in a continent-wide competition.

Wynn holds dual U.S. and Irish citizenship. He and his wife, Heather, live in McAllen and have three grown children and a grandson.