Dallas Cowboys Legend, Troy Aikman, Cooper Aerobics President and CEO, Dr. Tyler Cooper, and retiring Frisco Independent School District Superintendent, Dr. Jeremy Lyon, to join The Cooper Institute

DALLAS, March 21, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Cooper Institute is pleased to announce three new additions to the organization. Troy Aikman and Dr. Tyler Cooper have formally accepted positions on The Institute's Board of Trustees. Dr. Jeremy Lyon, retiring superintendent of Frisco Independent School District, will join The Institute as the first president of Cooper Youth in July 2017.   

Aikman, former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and Super Bowl MVP has a lengthy relationship with The Cooper Institute.  Since 2011, Aikman has served as spokesman for the Healthy Zone School Recognition Program, a joint collaboration with the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas designed to recognize and improve health programming in North Texas Schools. "Dr. Cooper has been an inspiration to millions across the globe, including myself" said NFL great Troy Aikman. "Joining The Cooper Institute's Board of Trustees and working with a true visionary, like Dr. Cooper, to continue making an impact on our community through health and wellness is an honor."

Dr. Lyon has spent 31 years in public education, the last four at the helm of Frisco Independent School District, which saw unprecedented growth and achievement during that time.  Beginning his career as a high school science teacher, Dr. Lyon carried his passion for health and wellness as he rose through the ranks as one of the nation's top administrators. "Education is a calling, and when you have the opportunity to join a storied organization whose mission allows you to continue to answer that call, it's one you just have to take," said Dr. Jeremy Lyon. "I look forward to this next chapter as the first president of Cooper Youth at The Cooper Institute, and advancing the vision of Dr. Kenneth Cooper, the "father of aerobics", by working to build a healthier, stronger generation in not only Texas, but across the United States."

Founded in 1970 as a non-profit research organization, one of The Institute's primary objectives was to focus on youth health and improving the effectiveness of physical education programs in schools. Today, The Institute's principal youth program, FitnessGram^®, is implemented in over 20,000 schools affecting 10 million students annually. In practice for 35 years, FitnessGram serves as a foundation for many interventional programs like the Healthy Zone School Recognition Program^® and the NFL Play 60 FitnessGram^® Project.

"The future is incredibly bright for The Cooper Institute and I could not be more pleased to welcome Dr. Jeremy Lyon, Troy Aikman, and my son, Dr. Tyler Cooper," said founder Dr. Kenneth Cooper. "Dr. Lyon brings an incredible depth of knowledge to advance our youth education initiatives to new heights. Having both Troy and Tyler join the Board of Trustees will continue to provide unparalleled leadership, guidance and support of The Institute's mission to promote lifelong health and wellness through research and education."   

About The Cooper Institute
The Cooper Institute (CI), established in 1970, is a 501.c.3. non-profit dedicated to promoting life-long health and wellness through research and education. Founded by Dr. Kenneth Cooper, The Institute translates the latest scientific findings into proactive solutions that improve population health. Key areas of focus are research, youth education, and advocacy. The Cooper Institute is home to the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study, the world's largest and longest running observational study on measured fitness, and FitnessGram^®, the most widely used youth physical fitness assessment, education and reporting tool in the world. For more information on The Cooper Institute, visit www.CooperInstitute.org.

Press Contact: Claire Kinzy
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SOURCE The Cooper Institute

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