Preceded by Alfred "Al" Stokes Name Colby Cooper | Education Bucknell University Political party Republican Party | |
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Mayor William S. "Sandy" Stimpson Born January 7, 1976 (age 48)
Norwich, New York, USA ( 1976-01-07 ) Alma mater B.A. Bucknell University | ||
Colby cooper wr nftc 2014 pt 1
Colby J. Cooper (born January 7, 1976, in Norwich, New York) is the Chief Operating Officer of the Hix Snedeker Companies, a national-level commercial real estate development firm. He is the former Chief of Staff for the City of Mobile, Alabama, under Mayor William S. "Sandy" Stimpson. Up until the time of his appointment, Cooper was serving as Director, Corporate Communications at PepsiCo, Inc. Previously, he was the Executive Director of the Coastal Alabama Leadership Council. Prior to his regional role, Cooper was the Co-Founder and Principal of The Cooper-Lyon Group, LLC, a strategic communications, public relations and operations consulting firm based in Fairhope, Alabama. Prior to launching The Cooper-Lyon Group, Cooper served as Chief of Staff to former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University.
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Career
Cooper distinguished himself as a leader of Mobile, Alabama, Mayor Sandy Stimpson's transformational agenda to become the safest, most business and family-friendly city in America by 2020. Occasionally at odds with long-serving local officials over policy, Cooper helped push through significant changes to the city's organizational structure, on budgetary matters, capital improvement investment, creating a procurement and supplier diversity program, renovating public facilities and parks, implementing youth programs and overall improvement of the city's cleanliness. Cooper was often the front-man for the change element to include recruiting Uber (company) to Mobile, and as such to the State of Alabama. He fiercely defended the Mayor in a dispute about Mayoral versus City Council powers that ultimately ended in a compromise. Described as headstrong, hardworking and loyal, Cooper's tenure with the City of Mobile ended with his sudden resignation after a December 2016 visit to the city by then President-Elect Donald Trump. Upon Cooper's departure, Stimpson responded by saying, "[H]is passion, his enthusiasm to make Mobile a better place is unparalleled."
Working for the Federal government of the United States, Cooper served as a long-time aide to Condoleezza Rice, working in various capacities during his time at the White House and Department of State. As Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State (2007-2008), Cooper assisted in the planning and implementation of the Secretary's major events, as well her domestic and international travels, including coordinating meetings between Secretary Rice and various world leaders. Prior to his stint at the State Department, Cooper served on the National Security Council as Director for Communications and Media Relations (2003-2006) where he coordinated President George W. Bush’s foreign media interviews, traveled internationally with the President, and planned the National Security Advisor’s public appearances and media interviews. Earlier in his tenure at the White House, Cooper served as an Associate Director for Communications (2002-2003), and as an Executive and Administrative Assistant to the National Security Advisor (2001-2002). Prior to joining the White House staff, Cooper worked on the U.S. government’s Y2K preparedness and monitoring efforts.
On October 19, 2007, Cooper received Bucknell University's inaugural Award for Distinguished Citizenship. In 2010, he was named by Mobile Bay magazine as a "40 Under Forty" honoree. On July 28, 2017, Cooper was inducted into the Oxford Academy and Central School's Hall of Distinction. He is one of the youngest inductees to date.
In the news
On December 17, 2016, Cooper was at the center of a controversial national news story for placing a fifty-foot cedar Christmas tree inside Ladd–Peebles Stadium for President-Elect Donald Trump's visit to Mobile, Alabama as part of his 'thank you' tour. The tree was taken from a city park. Cooper apologized and stated that he will be paying for the replacement of the tree and the tree used will be re-purposed. On December 29, 2016, Cooper submitted his resignation.
On September 13, 2012, Cooper had a special tribute to slain U.S. Ambassador to Libya, J. Christopher Stevens, published in the Press-Register. Cooper writes:
"When I heard the news, the emotion that brewed in me was intense. It is not easy to see footage of someone you worked with dragged lifeless through the streets of a foreign land.... Ambassador Stevens was not trying to impose the will of the United States; he was there to help build a relationship between our two countries and offer support to a people who, at their core, want nothing more than to be free."
On August 26, 2010, Cooper delivered the keynote address at the (Mobile, Alabama) Chamber of Commerce's 2010 "Get Connected" Luncheon. He talked about the foundations of the American dream. In his remarks, Cooper made the following comment about education in America:
"We need to remind ourselves that education is not Republican or Democrat, it is not White, Black, Hispanic or Asian -- education should not be about the haves and have not -- primary and secondary education in America is, as far as I am concerned, an inalienable right. We cannot let political or bureaucratic complacency, at all levels, keep us from ensuring that every child is given the chance they deserve to take the necessary steps toward accomplishing their goals and dreams. They will be better for it and so will America."
On March 14, 2010, Cooper penned a contrarian op-ed for the Press-Register discussing his opposition to a 2010 House Foreign Affairs Committee non-binding resolution (H.Res 252) calling for the heinous acts committed by the Ottoman Empire against the Armenian people, from 1915-1923, to be classified as the Armenian Genocide. In the op-ed, Cooper reveals that he is actually a third generation Armenian-American and shares the plight his great grandparents endured during this time period. Despite his ancestry, he remains opposed to a resolution.
"Today, more than ever, the United States must be focused on maintaining and strengthening its strategic partnerships and alliances, not impugning (even if unintentionally) the honor and integrity of our allies for acts committed by generations before them... We will never forget what happened, but we need to be rational with our current thinking and actions. This Armenian-American is more concerned about the future of the world than trying to rewrite history."
On May 12, 2009, Cooper had a Letter to the Editor published in the New York Times defending former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice over comments she made about the Bush Administration's policy on torture that were purportedly taken out of context.
Personal life
Cooper received his B.A. from Bucknell University, where he was a two-time varsity football letter winner. He served on Bucknell University's Alumni Association Board of Directors from 2007-2008.
He is married to Jaime Lyon Cooper. They have a son and daughter.
He is a native of Oxford, New York.