Quick Facts
Biography
Michael B. Hancock (born 1969) is the 45th and current mayor of Denver, Colorado. He was sworn in on July 18, 2011 after defeating Chris Romer in a runoff election on June 7, 2011. He was easily reelected with no significant opposition in 2015.
He is Denver's second African-American mayor after Wellington Webb.
Biography
Born in Fort Hood, Texas, Hancock moved with his family to Denver as an infant. He and his twin sister are the youngest of ten children. According to a DNA analysis performed on his behalf, he descends mainly from Cameroon slaves.
He graduated from Denver's Manual High School (1987) and earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Hastings College in Nebraska (1991). He also earned a Masters of Arts degree in public administration management from the University of Colorado Denver.
At the time he was elected Mayor, Hancock was in his second term as a member of the Denver City Council. During his tenure on the City Council, he served two terms as Council president, the last ending in 2008.
Hancock and former Colorado State Senator Peter Groff co-wrote the book, Standing in the Gap: Leadership for the 21st Century, published in 2004.
Michael Hancock is married to actress and vocalist Mary Louise Lee. They have 3 children.
On 8 May, Hancock visited the city of Reykjavík and he and the mayor of Reykjavík, Jón Gnarr, met in Höfði.
In the 1986 Denver Broncos Super Bowl season, he was the Broncos' mascot "Huddles," making $25 an hour.
Hancock was named a 2014 Aspen Institute Rodel Fellow.