Rodney Mims Cook Jr. (born June 30, 1956) is an American designer who has been the chair of the United States Commission of Fine Arts since January 2026. He has been a member of the Commission of Fine Arts from 2021 to 2022, and since January 2026. He was nominated to the commission by President Donald Trump. Cook has been a persistent advocate for building arches in Washington D.C.

Early life and education

Rodney Mims Cook Jr. was born on June 30, 1956, at Georgia Baptist Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. He is the only son of Bettijo Hogan and Rodney Mims Cook Sr. The elder Cook was a member of the Atlanta Board of Aldermen and the Georgia House of Representatives. The younger Cook was raised in Buckhead. In his youth, Cook assisted his father in his political campaigns. He attended William Franklin Dykes High School; the school closed in 1973, when Cook was a junior. He was the junior class president. Cook studied engineering at Washington and Lee University. As a college freshman, Cook organized an effort to save the Fox Theatre, a building marked for demolition. The effort caught the attention of Charles, Prince of Wales, who visited Atlanta in 1977 and sought to meet Cook. The two developed a friendship after their encounter.

Career

National Monuments Foundation (2003–present)

In 2003, Cook established the National Monuments Foundation.

Vice chair of the Commission on Fine Arts (2021–2022)

In January 2021, president Donald Trump appointed Cook to the United States Commission of Fine Arts. Cook served as its vice chair. In April 2022, the Biden administration requested Cook's resignation. He was succeeded by Lisa Delplace.

Chair of the Commission on Fine Arts (2026–present)

In January 2026, The Washington Post reported that the Trump administration was set to request that former members of the Commission of Fine Arts who had been appointed by Trump in his first term return to the commission. On January 20, Trump appointed Cook to the commission. He was voted the chairman on January 22.