Each year Tustin area residents, businesses and community groups are eligible to submit nominees....Contact us for more information....

A.J. (Tony) Coco has served the Tustin Community for many years in numerous capacities.

Bio:
- Born in Rochester, New York.

- Spent 4th grade year in Denbigh, Virginia

- 3 ½ years of high school at Aquinas Institute, Rochester

- Graduated high school at Salpointe, Tucson, Arizona

- Odd jobs as curio store clerk, TV antenna installer, news reader for Tucson radio station.

- Earned First Class Radiotelephone ticket, FCC

- Entered University of Arizona, interrupted program to spend 2 ½ years aboard USS Iowa as Electronic Technician. Ports: Europe, Africa, Asia, South & Central America.

- Upon discharge, bought first (and last) motorcycle, took off same day from Norfolk to Tucson, traded for Ford in Dallas for remainder of trip across desert.

- Graduated University of Arizona, BS in Electrical Engineering [TAU BETA PI]

- Married, 2 kids born in Newport Beach, California - Moved to Tustin, California in 1962 - Worked in aerospace as EE and program control specialist. - Graduated Cal State Fullerton, MBA [BETA GAMMA SIGMA]

- Life member of MENSA

- Elected Tustin City Councilman, then Mayor (eight years).
Conceived idea for putting message on reverse of all “Welcome to Tustin Signs” : “Work where you must, but live in Tustin”. At suggestion of Frank Greinke, then Chamber President, added “…live and shop…”

- Elected President of the Tustin Area Historical Society.

- Named Chairman of Tustin Chamber Legislative Committee

- Officer and member of Tustin Host Lions Club (current)

- Graduated Western State University School of Law, Juris Doctor degree

- Passed US Patent Office bar and California State bar exams (first time)

- Lost life savings in First Pension fraud [3,000 investors lost 99 million dollars]

- Awarded outstanding alumnus honors (Louis Slonaker Award), University of Arizona

- Retired as Lieutenant Commander from Navy, full benefits

- Operated small patent, trademark, copyright practice; now retired

- Member, Orange County Bar Association Administration of Justice Committee

- Chairman of Orange County Patent Law Association Legislative Committee

- Have owned current residence in North Tustin since 1978

- Awarded Gold Star member of Orange County Sheriff’s Department

- Appointed to sheriff’s Professional Services Reserve

- Currently have 7 grandchildren

- Currently volunteer as reader/director for Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (RBD)

- Currently taking bagpipe and Hebrew lessons, traveling and kayaking, not simultaneously.

- Practice Tai Chi Quan and do weekly NY Times Crossword just to keep mind and body active.