Lee Leffingwell
Encyclopedia
Shelly Lee Leffingwell is the current mayor of Austin, Texas
. He was first elected as an Austin
city council member in 2005, won re-election in 2008, and was elected
mayor in 2009.
Leffingwell is a native of Austin and a retired airline pilot. He graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, then became an officer and pilot in the United States Navy
. After spending five years on active duty, including Vietnam service
, Leffingwell left active duty and joined the Navy Reserves, completing a total of 20 years military service. He was a pilot and Captain for Delta Air Lines
for almost 32 years, ending his airline career as an international Boeing 767
and MD-11 Captain.
Leffingwell served for more than five years as a consensus appointee to the City of Austin's Environmental Board and was elected by his peers as Chair for the last four of those years.
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
. He was first elected as an Austin
Austin
Austin is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas.Austin may also refer to:-In the United States:*Austin, Arkansas*Austin, Colorado*Austin, Chicago, Illinois*Austin, Indiana*Austin, Minnesota*Austin, Nevada*Austin, Oregon...
city council member in 2005, won re-election in 2008, and was elected
Austin mayoral election, 2009
The 2009 Austin mayoral election was held on May 9, 2009. Incumbent Mayor Will Wynn was term-limited. No candidate received a majority of the vote, which would have precipitated a runoff election, but second-place finisher Brewster McCracken withdrew from the race making Lee Leffingwell the winner...
mayor in 2009.
Leffingwell is a native of Austin and a retired airline pilot. He graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, then became an officer and pilot in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. After spending five years on active duty, including Vietnam service
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, Leffingwell left active duty and joined the Navy Reserves, completing a total of 20 years military service. He was a pilot and Captain for Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
for almost 32 years, ending his airline career as an international Boeing 767
Boeing 767
The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
and MD-11 Captain.
Leffingwell served for more than five years as a consensus appointee to the City of Austin's Environmental Board and was elected by his peers as Chair for the last four of those years.