William E. Cooper

In 2017, after serving more than 28 years as a city councilman, William E. (Bill) Cooper became not only the mayor of the City of Enterprise but the first black mayor of the growing municipality known as the City of Progress. The Enterprise City Council chamber was packed on the historic night of May 16, 2017, as Cooper was sworn in by Judge Paul Sherling.

Mayor Cooper, the former council president, was sworn in following the resignation of former Mayor Kenneth Boswell, who left the office to take an appointment by Governor Kay Ivey as the director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. He looks back on the ceremony with pride and appreciation for the support from family, friends and the people of Enterprise.

Mayor Cooper, a native of Dothan, graduated from Alabama State University with degrees in education and music education. He also holds a Master of Music Education degree and a Music Education Administration and Supervision degree. He is known by thousands of young people who attended Enterprise City Schools as the band director at Coppinville Junior High School, where he served for 43 years.