Gayle Cook

Gayle Cook, the wife of William Cook, inherited her husband's stake in the medical device company after he died in April, 2011. The couple created Cook Incorporated from humble beginnings in 1963 using a spare bedroom in their Bloomington, Indiana apartment as its first "factory." Now with offices stretching from the U.S. to Ireland to the far reaches of the Pacific Rim, the company specializes in stents and antibiotic-impregnated catheters. Next move: expanding throughout Asia (Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and China) via its Asia-Pacific Distribution Centre arm that has recently doubled in size. The couple spent $500 million to restore the luxury French Lick Resort and West Baden Springs Hotel in Indiana, adding a casino and a Pete Dye-designed PGA golf course. Due to their active philanthropy in hometown Bloomington, the mayor proclaimed June 20th Bill and Gayle Cook Day.