We’re so saddened to hear of the passing of our friend, former Austin Mayor Bruce Todd. A pillar of the Austin community, Bruce served two terms as Mayor and spearheaded the city’s growth throughout his tenure that included recruiting major employers, most notably Samsung Austin Semiconductor, AMD, Applied Materials and the expansion of Motorola.

He led the efforts to persuade the U.S. Air Force to transfer Bergstrom Air Force Base to the City of Austin, raised funds and directed all aspects of the public campaign to transform the old base into what is now Austin Bergstrom International Airport. Todd also helped successfully pass Austin’s groundbreaking no-smoking law, banning cigars and cigarettes in all restaurants and bars. He suffered a very serious bicycle accident in late 2005, from which he recovered and spent the rest of his life advocating for strict bicycle helmet laws.

A true servant leader, Bruce made a powerful positive impact on the Austin region and did so with kindness and humor. He was adored by family, beloved by friends and revered by the people of Austin. We will miss him dearly.