Oberlin College Athletics

A four-time letter-winner, Kyran “Casey” Cook was an elite diver from 1970-1974.

A five-time conference champion and 1974 All-American, Cook’s school records stood for over 10 years. When he was not jumping off the diving boards, he helped in South Hall and also worked at the bowling alley.

After earning a degree in economics from Oberlin, he returned to school in the 1990s and earned a master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Iowa.

Cook put his advanced degree to good use, serving on the Iowa City Planning and Zoning Commission for six years. He used his expertise in real estate to start his own appraisal firm 20 years ago and launched a self-storage company in 2001.

In addition to his work as an entrepreneur, he is currently the president of the Johnson City Community Foundation, which was established 10 years ago and is a major local force in bringing donors together with local agencies. Last year his agency raised over $130,000 for local businesses. In 1993 he co-founded the Friends of the Iowa River Scenic Trail system which has led to an extensive multi-purpose trail system that serves the entire county.