As a project director for TIP, ALEX COOKE possesses 15 years of public and private sector experience in the fields of economic development, management consulting, higher education, and legislative affairs. Alexs various professional experiences include economic, legislative, and policy analysis; strategic planning; grant proposal development; federal grant program administration; and performance measurement. During his consulting career, Alex has provided high-level services to cities, regional planning organizations, state agencies, non-profit associations, and university systems.

Alex recently rejoined TIP after stints working for Texas Tech University and MGT of America, Inc. As a consultant with MGT, Alex contributed experience and expertise to projects involving management and organizational reviews, performance management implementation, and operational and staffing reviews. At Texas Tech, Alex served as Director of Research and Grants for the International Business Education Program at the Rawls College of Business. There, he was responsible for planning and developing grant funding proposals, researching and coordinating funding opportunities, communicating with potential funding agencies and foundations, and administering grant programs related to international education programs and scholarships. He also contributed his resource development skills to the Colleges $56 million capital campaign to fund construction of a new business education building.

Originally joining TIP in 1997, Alex has worked with cities, chambers, and regional organizations in several states on issues related to industry recruitment and retention, workforce development, and quality of life enhancement. His recent projects include helping to design a regional development plan for the Mississippi Delta region, as well as working with communities impacted by the closure or realignment of major military installations. He has years of experience managing day-to-day project activities and producing such deliverables as strategic plans, marketing plans, economic base analyses, industry analyses, and marketing materials.

Alex holds a Master of Public Affairs from LBJ School of Public Affairs at University of Texas at Austin, with a concentration on international economics and Latin American studies. He earned Bachelor of Arts from Texas Tech University, majoring in political science, with minors in Spanish and history.