Linda Cooke has spent most of her working career serving men and women with special needs. As Director of Manufacturing Operations for the Habilitation Center in Boca Raton, Florida, her focus is on providing compensable work opportunities for over 200 adults with disabilities. Along with her team, she transformed a sheltered, task-oriented workshop into a turnkey electromechanical manufacturing plant. The company boasts of customers such as the Federal Government, Motorola, Tyco, L3 Communications, Lockheed Martin and many more. The Center has won many awards, most notably “South Florida Manufacturer of the Year” and recognition as a Six Sigma Manufacturer. In July 2011, the Company was registered as ISO 9001:2008.
Prior to the Center, she was in the high tech industry with Fortune 500 companies Computer Products, Inc.and Gould, Inc., Computer Systems Division where she traveled throughout the United States as Director of Contracts working with companies such as the Boeing Company, General Dynamics, Inc., Lockheed Martin and United Technologies.
Linda was recognized as a Florida Trend Magazine Trendsetter in 2007 and American Electronics Association’s High Tech Executive of the Year in 2005 She is a Gubernatorial Appointee having had the honor to serve under Governor Jeb Bush for two terms with Workforce Florida. Linda is currently on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce and serves as Member of the Board of Trustees. She is on the Board of Governors for the Nova Huisenga School of Business, Member of the Executive Council of America Electronics Association, Chair of the Community Relations Council of Broward General Medical Center and an active member of the Advisory Board of Regent Bank. She recently completed a two-year term as President of the Tower Forum working with her Board of Directors to double its membership.
As Secretary and Member of the Board of Directors of the Wasie Foundation, Inc., Linda is proud of Wasie’s philanthropic activities in helping children with life threatening, chronic, terminal, or severely disabling medical conditions, cancer, arthritis and schizophrenia.
Her long-standing relationship with Broward Navy Days, Inc. has spanned approximately eight years in support of the men and women of the seagoing services. Linda served on the Board of Directors in various positions including Treasurer, community relation’s projects, and fleet week activities. As a Plank Owner of the USS Cole, she has traveled with the team to celebrate the many Sailors of the Year. She is honored to again participate as a member of the Board of Directors of Broward Navy Days and to work with the team in fulfilling its mission.
Linda is a graduate of Nova Southeastern University and is a native Floridian. She spends her leisure time reading, traveling, exercising and enjoying time with friends and family.
