Cooper Yates

Cooper Leland Yates (1944-2004) was an advertising executive who founded a number of advertising agencies in Northwest Florida, including Hemmer & Yates and Great Southern Advertising. He was also an adjunct professor at Pensacola Junior College.

Cooper Yates
Born	February 24, 1944 Bremen, Harralson County, Georgia
Died	April 17, 2004 Pensacola
Occupation	advertising executive
Spouse	Katie Dorothy Teague (1968) Connie Hyatt (1999)
Parents	Lawden Henry & Bessie Louise Cooper Yates
Children	Shelley Yates

Yates was a major advocate of the arts in Pensacola. He promoted the Saenger Theatre and campaigned for the construction of the Pensacola Civic Center. During his tenure as president of the Arts Council of Northwest Florida, Yates added new agencies to the organization and hired influential director Andy Witt.

As head of Great Southern Advertising, Yates helped Joe Scarborough launch the Florida Sun in 1999 and was invited to work on his show Scarborough Country in New York, but declined, preferring to remain in the Pensacola area. He also inspired the concept and name of Mike Papantonio's radio show, Ring of Fire.

He could often be seen driving his vintage '58 Corvette.

Yates died unexpectedly of a heart attack on April 17, 2004.