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Cooksey Chairman and CEO Colby Walton Recognized Among Fort Worth Inc.’s 400 Most Influential People in Fort Worth

DALLAS/FORT WORTH – May 20, 2022 –

Colby Walton, chairman and CEO of Cooksey Communications, a North Texas-based public relations firm, has been named to The 400, Fort Worth Inc. Magazine’s list of the 400 most influential figures in the Greater Fort Worth area. The 5^th annual class of The 400 was recognized last night during an awards ceremony at the Fort Worth Club and will be featured in a special issue of Fort Worth Inc. this summer.

An all-encompassing list, The 400 highlights top executives who wield significant influence in Tarrant County across a wide range of categories, including industry, philanthropy, nonprofits, government and public policy, economic development, professional services, education, civic affairs, arts, religion, sports and media, or within their own spheres.

“It is truly an honor to be recognized alongside other leaders within the wonderful Fort Worth community, many of whom we have had the pleasure to support over the years through our agency’s strategic communications work,” said Walton. “It is because of visionary, civic-minded individuals such as those recognized by Fort Worth Inc. that the city and region have seen continued growth and success in recent years.”

Over its nearly three-decade history, Cooksey has represented many of Fort Worth’s and Tarrant County’s leading businesses, nonprofit organizations and public sector entities. This includes significant engagements on behalf of the City of Fort Worth, Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau (now Visit Fort Worth), Tarrant Regional Transportation Coalition, the Northeast Tarrant Transportation Summit, Hillwood/AllianceTexas, Freese and Nichols, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, OmniAmerican Bank (now Southside Bank), Whitley Penn LLP and many others.

Walton has served in various capacities at Cooksey since joining the agency in 1998, officially acquiring the company with his longtime business partner, Jason Meyer, earlier this year. During his 24-year tenure at Cooksey, Colby has helped establish and grow the agency’s proficiency in professional services marketing and municipal communications for clients facing an array of complex, high-stakes public relations issues.

Walton has also been involved in numerous professional and community service organizations outside the agency, including volunteer work on behalf of Leadership Fort Worth, The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, the City of Colleyville, the Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce, the Duke University Alumni Club of North Texas and the Virginia Morris Kincaid Foundation.

About Cooksey Communications

Founded in 1994, Cooksey Communications is a Texas-based, strategic communications firm specializing in public stakeholder issues-related communications for government/economic development, transportation, water, energy and education clients, and strategic communications for professional services, real estate/development, retail/hospitality/consumer and nonprofit clients. Cooksey repeatedly has been named one of the top public relations agencies in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex by the Dallas Business Journal. For more information, visit www.CookseyPR.com.

Cooksey Earns Eight Hermes Awards, Including Five Top-Level Platinum Honors, in International Creative Competition

DALLAS – May 13, 2022 –

Cooksey Communications recently received five Platinum and three Gold honors in the 2022 Hermes Creative Awards, a distinguished international competition. These eight awards underscore Cooksey’s vast knowledge of strategic communications, media relations and both digital and print media.

PLATINUM

Website (Electronic Media/Social Media/Interactive Media) – Forward Fort Worth: Cooksey created a comprehensive website for the inaugural mobility innovation event, Forward Fort Worth, allowing site visitors to access critical information like a detailed event schedule, speaker bios and user-friendly registration.
Newspaper Placement (Strategic Campaigns/Media Relations) – Hillwood: Cooksey secured a prominent feature story, “Perot’s Hillwood designs the Circle T Ranch to round up relocating companies,” in The Dallas Morning News. Serving as the centerpiece of the Business section’s print version, the article showcases the development plan for Hillwood’s 2,500-acre Circle T Ranch in Westlake.
Video (Electronic Media/Social Media/Interactive Media) – Irving Economic Development Partnership (EDP): The Irving EDP engaged Cooksey to produce a dynamic marketing and promotional video to highlight the city’s attributes for prospective companies considering it as a home for headquarters or office locations. The “Stay Bold” video showcases Irving-Las Colinas’ business-friendly reputation as the “Headquarters of Headquarters,” its recreation opportunities, and vibrant lifestyle.
Blog Writing (Electronic Media/Social Media/Interactive Media) – Jackson-Shaw: Cooksey helped develop a blog post titled “Succeeding in Business in the Long Term: Weathering Booms, Bubbles, and Busts” by Jackson-Shaw President and CEO Michele Wheeler for D CEO Magazine’s commercial real estate expert opinion site.
Online Placement (Strategic Campaigns/Media Relations) – Richardson Economic Development Partnership (EDP): Cooksey secured placement of a prominent Dallas Business Journal article for the Richardson EDP, “Global Development Initiative helps create long-lasting, local partnerships with global-scale exposure.” The insightful byline written by Bill Sproull discusses a recently formed partnership between the Richardson EDP and The University of Texas at Dallas to support international business development efforts in Richardson.

GOLD

Pandemic Response (Strategic Campaigns/Public Relations/Communications) – Credit Union of Texas (CUTX): Cooksey executed an extensive communications plan in response to CUTX’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, drafting a media release, developing strategic messaging and crisis responses, and securing robust local and trade media coverage.
Publication Article (Print Media/Writing) – Harrison, Walker & Harper (HWH): Cooksey secured a feature for HWH in Construction Executive titled “Women in Construction Are Built for Success.” The story, published during the annual Women in Construction Week in March, features industry insights from two female HWH project engineers.
Program Guide (Print Media/Publications) – Tarrant Transportation Summit: Cooksey designed a complete program guide for the Tarrant Transportation Summit (TTS), Tarrant County’s premier transportation event, spotlighting event speakers and providing wide-ranging industry knowledge.

There were about 6,500 entries from throughout the United States and 27 other countries in the Hermes Creative Awards 2022 competition. Only about 16 percent of entries earned Platinum, the top award, and around 22 percent won the Gold Award.

The Hermes Creative Awards, administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals, honor creative professionals involved in the concept, writing and design of traditional and emerging media. Judges are industry professionals who look for companies and individuals whose talent exceeds a high standard of excellence.

About Cooksey Communications

Cooksey Earns Four AVA Digital Awards for Distinguished Digital, Social and Broadcast Media Productions

DALLAS – Feb. 8, 2022 –

Cooksey Communications recently received one Platinum Award, two Gold Awards and one Honorable Mention in the 2022 AVA Digital Awards, an international marketing communications competition. These four prestigious awards highlight Cooksey’s diverse, successful experience in digital marketing and creative services.

Out of the thousands of entries submitted, only 16% earned the top Platinum honors, while only about 19% received the Gold recognition. Another 10% were Honorable Mention winners.

Cooksey’s award-winning client projects were as follows:

PLATINUM

Social Media Playbook (Web-Based Production/Social Media) – Bell Fort Worth Alliance Air Show: Cooksey developed and implemented a comprehensive Social Media Playbook for each social media team volunteer to utilize across Instagram, Facebook and Twitter during the 2021 Bell Fort Worth Alliance Air Show – one of the nation’s premier air shows. This included extensive documentation of the organic social media plan, ready-to-use content and graphics, frequently asked questions, and do’s and don’ts for active promotion during the show.

GOLD

Amusements/Entertainment (Video Production/Commercials) – Bell Fort Worth Alliance Air Show: Cooksey oversaw production, creative design and content development for three high-impact television commercials for the Bell Fort Worth Alliance Air Show. The television commercials ran on ABC WFAA-TV to generate buzz and boost ticket sales for the 2021 Air Show’s hybrid drive-in format.

Website (Web-Based Production/Government) – Trinity Regional Flood Planning Group: On behalf of the Trinity Regional Flood Planning Group, a recently created public entity, Cooksey developed a website that allows stakeholders throughout Texas’ Trinity River Basin to engage interactively with the new, multi-year Regional Flood Planning process. The website features an intuitive navigation structure and user-friendly interface, making critical information easily accessible to residents, businesses and local governmental entities in flood-prone areas. The site also offers robust options for providing public input, learning about upcoming Planning Group meetings and reviewing both draft and final planning documents.

HONORABLE MENTION

E-Annual Report (Digital Marketing/Content Marketing) – Anna Economic Development Corporation (EDC): Cooksey helped design and develop the FY21 Annual Report for the Anna EDC, which was presented to its board and incorporated on its website. The branded report included a mix of imagery, graphics and copy to powerfully showcase Anna EDC’s accomplishments in FY21 and its strategic plan for continued success in FY22.

The AVA Digital Awards, administered and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals, honor outstanding work by creative professionals involved in the concept, direction, design and production of media that are part of the evolution of digital communication. Judges are industry professionals who look for companies and individuals whose talent exceeds a high standard of excellence and whose work serves as a benchmark for the industry.

About Cooksey Communications

Long-time Cooksey Communications Leaders Complete Agency Acquisition

DALLAS – Jan. 6, 2022 –

Completing agency founder Gail Cooksey’s multi-year succession plan, long-time Cooksey Communications leaders Colby Walton and Jason Meyer have now fully acquired the Texas-based, 14-employee strategic communications firm that she launched 28 years ago.

Walton, who began his PR agency career at Cooksey Communications in 1998, was named a partner in 2015 and most recently served as president, has now been named Cooksey’s chairman and CEO. Meyer, who joined the firm in 2011, also became a partner in 2015 and most recently served as executive vice president, is now its president. Gail Cooksey has been named chairman emeritus in recognition of her agency-founding role and continuing consultative guidance in retirement to the leadership team.

“Over nearly three decades, our agency earned a well-deserved reputation for providing communications solutions with extraordinary attention to detail, and Gail thoughtfully assembled a team of experts with diverse skillsets who are deeply dedicated to their craft,” said Walton. “Jason and I are honored to have been entrusted with leadership roles in recent years and to build on that legacy as she now retires. We are committed to sustaining the agency’s unmatched service ethos and enriching its collaborative culture as we continue helping clients navigate their most critical stakeholder communications issues.”

“Thanks to Gail’s thoughtful succession plan and our talented Cooksey teammates, what clients can expect is stability and a smooth transition with respect to service delivery and their interactions with us,” said Meyer. “Day-to-day account teams remain the same, and our commitment to the agency’s clients absolutely remains the top priority. At the same time, we are closely monitoring the latest issues emerging in each of our core focus areas so we can anticipate and address future communications challenges – including by partnering with high-quality, aligned professional services providers to offer creative solutions that comprehensively meet clients’ evolving needs.”

Further underscoring the agency’s stable, smooth ownership transition, the name and branding of Cooksey Communications will remain the same.

“As I reflect on the last 28 years, it has been a privilege to build Cooksey Communications with Colby’s and Jason’s invaluable assistance, plus the contributions of so many others,” said Gail Cooksey. “I’m thankful for the relationships we have developed and the outstanding reputation we have earned. I am also completely confident that Colby and Jason will provide strong, capable leadership. They have already demonstrated a clear capacity for doing so in recent years, during which time they have been entrusted with significant duties as they became partners and as I eased back from active agency management. There is no doubt that Cooksey’s clients and colleagues are in great hands.”

Walton and Meyer have over four decades of combined experience in public relations and marketing communications. Walton graduated from Duke University with a bachelor’s degree in history and public policy studies, cum laude, and received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law before joining Dallas-based Haynes and Boone, LLP’s business development department in 1997. During his 23-year tenure at Cooksey, Walton helped establish and grow the agency’s proficiency in professional services marketing and municipal communications for clients facing an array of complex, high-stakes public relations issues.

Meyer, a U.S. Navy veteran and an alumnus of the University of North Texas, where he earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree, came to Cooksey in 2011 after distinguished service in national and local politics, school district communications and at another prominent North Texas creative agency. Meyer draws on this experience to inform his management of Cooksey’s municipal campaign work, as well as its efforts on behalf of transportation advocacy groups and leading commercial real estate firms, among others.

Walton and Meyer have been deeply involved in numerous professional and community service organizations, including leadership positions and memberships in groups such as the North Texas Commission, Dallas Regional Chamber, Fort Worth Chamber, Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Fort Worth, Duke University Alumni Club of North Texas, Virginia Morris Kincaid Foundation and the National Association of Real Estate Editors.

About Cooksey Communications

Dallas Business Journal: Pair of Cooksey Communications Leaders Complete Acquisition of the Agency

On Jan. 1, longtime Cooksey Communication leaders Colby Walton (right) and Jason Meyer (left) completed the acquisition of the agency from founder Gail Cooksey. Walton will serve as chairman and CEO of the Irving-based agency, while Meyer will serve as president of the 14-employee firm.

View PDF of original Dallas Business Journal article

On Jan. 1, longtime Cooksey Communication leaders Colby Walton and Jason Meyer completed the agency’s acquisition from founder Gail Cooksey. It completed the multi-year succession plan of the firm she founded 28 years ago.

Walton will serve as chairman and CEO of the Irving-based agency, while Meyer will serve as president of the 14-employee firm. The terms of the deal, completed on Dec. 31, were not disclosed.

Walton joined Cooksey in 1998, was named a partner in 2015 and most recently served as president. Meyer joined the firm in 2011, was also named a partner in 2015 and most recently served as executive vice president. The firm’s name and branding will remain the same.

Gail Cooksey will continue to provide guidance in retirement and has the title of chairman emeritus. As she reflects on the last 28 years, she is confident she is leaving the firm in great hands.

“I’m thankful for the relationships we have developed and the outstanding reputation we have earned. I am also completely confident that Colby and Jason will provide strong, capable leadership,” Cooksey said. “They have already demonstrated a clear capacity for doing so in recent years, during which time they have been entrusted with significant duties as they became partners and as I eased back from active agency management.”

We asked Walton and Meyer why they decided to buy the agency and where future growth opportunities could come from:

Can you talk about the decision to continue this agency and become owners?

Walton: Combined, we’ve put nearly 35 years into helping build the agency ourselves. We’ve got a longstanding commitment to the team, to the clients we’ve worked with for so long, and to the brand legacy. So that’s a big part of it, is we’ve been a big part in helping to build Cooksey to what it is, and we’ve learned from the best.

Meyer: What made this special for us is that I think in the last five to six years, especially, Colby and I feel like we are Cooksey. I mean, it’s not the name of Gail; it’s the name of our firm. We’ve grown up in this business with her, and we’ve helped in some pretty seismic things that have happened through the years of PR.

Where are your areas of growth?

Walton: North Texas is a great base because of the growth and the opportunity here. And that’s going to continue to be our home base and a primary area of focus. We are looking for more opportunities statewide, and doing a lot statewide, which is why we intentionally hired a new VP and head of our public sector practice down in Austin within the past year who leads a lot of our municipality work, not only in that region but statewide.

Meyer: As it relates to the core areas, one of the things we’re getting more involved in is in this mobility innovation sector that is rapidly advancing in our region, specifically as it relates to the supply chain and that piece of it.

What are the biggest lessons that you’ve learned from Gail?

Walton: One is the importance of attention to detail. It always matters. It matters to the clients, and ultimately that means it has to matter to you. We’ve established and maintained a legacy if we’re doing things the right way. And the clients could trust us to do that. … And I think tied to that is the importance of a service ethos … we want to be true partners to our clients. When our clients have a problem, we own that problem just as they do and help them find a solution. And we may have to get creative. We may have to work hard to find what that solution is, and maybe something we’ve never dealt with before. Those are the types of things that we enjoy the most.

The other thing I’ve learned from Gail is to surround yourself with smart, intellectually curious, incredibly capable people who enjoy those challenges, who relish solving those problems for clients and who take the initiative themselves to come up with answers.

Meyer: What I think this neat is to watch employees and myself as an employee earlier on … is this ownership stake that you take in working for your clients. And that’s something that’s directly from Gail, and I mean, she saw her work as an extension of the client’s work.

And then the second thing I think is to be purposeful about the business you take. Don’t try to be everything to everybody, don’t try to take things on that you can’t be successful at. And that’s what I think guided our growth through the last decade, has been that approach.

Walton: Business is ultimately about people and the relationships you have. … And so long as we remember that it’s all about people ultimately, including the people on our team, that’s how we know we’re going to be successful. If we keep those people first and foremost in our minds, and if we remember, the relationships are always critical.

Meyer: Something that we’re proud of is that we’re growing, and we’ve got a great team that’s stayed with us, and our clients have real longevity. We’ve had some relationships with most of them for 10 years or longer, and that’s something we’re all proud of.

Cooksey Earns Seven MarCom Awards in International Marketing and Communication Competition

DALLAS – December 7, 2021 –

Cooksey Communications recently received five Platinum Awards and two Gold honors in the 2021 MarCom Creative Awards, a prestigious international marketing and communication competition. The seven awards highlight Cooksey’s diverse and successful experience in strategic communications, creative design, media relations and more. Platinum honors, the top award, are reserved for only about 15% of entries worldwide.

PLATINUM

Media Relations/Publicity (Newspaper Placement) – Credit Union of Texas. Cooksey secured the placement of an article, “Credit Union of Texas Joins List of Employers Requiring Workers to Get COVID-19 Vaccine,” in The Dallas Morning News. The article prominently featured Credit Union of Texas’ vaccine mandate for all employees.
Media Relations/Publicity (Advertorial) – Irving Economic Development Partnership. Cooksey developed an advertorial for the Irving Economic Development Partnership in Business Facilities Magazine, “Irving-Las Colinas: Where Companies Can Have It All.” The advertorial highlighted Irving-Las Colinas’ growth and prosperity, unique at-work flexibility and well-known, time-honoring lifestyle, the “10-Minute Life.”
Media Relations/Publicity (Television Placement) – Hillwood. Cooksey was recognized for its television news placement on CNBC regarding Hillwood’s AllianceTexas Mobility Innovation Zone and its partnership with Gatik. The segment discussed Gatik’s new autonomous trucking facility at AllianceTexas Mobility Innovation Zone, an unparalleled environment dedicated to testing, scaling and commercializing the latest technologies.
Media Relations/Publicity (Magazine Placement) – The Rainier Companies. Cooksey secured an article and facilitated an interview with D CEO Magazine for The Rainier Companies CEO Danny Lovell. The article, “Meet All-American Golfer and Real Estate CEO Danny Lovell”, discussed Lovell’s passion for golf and how he has continued to pursue that passion during his successful real estate career.
Strategic Communications (Brochure/Informational) – City of Anna EDC. Cooksey designed Anna Economic Development Corporation’s (EDC) map brochure, which targets developers and commercial real estate professionals by incorporating testimonials, infographics and a detailed map of the City of Anna. Cooksey created the brochure after performing an in-depth communications audit for Anna EDC, redesigning its logo and implementing a new tagline, “Groundbreaking Possibilities,” late last year.

GOLD

Strategic Communications (Communications/Public Relations) – Harrison, Walker & Harper, LLP (HWH). Cooksey developed a press release announcing the completion of the Melissa Championship Center in Melissa, Texas, estimated to be among the largest practice facilities of its kind in Texas. The release, “Construction Leader, HWH, Completes Texas’ Largest Sports Practice Facility to Date, Exceeding Notable College and Professional Football Facilities,” showcased HWH’s construction management role for the facility and the Center’s state-of-the-art finishes.
Print Media (Design/Innovation) – The Real Estate Council (TREC). Cooksey designed the TREC FightNight 2021 “The Comeback”-themed invitation and the accompanying creative suite of collateral materials. Started in 1989, FightNight has grown into one of North Texas’ largest philanthropic events and features Vegas-style entertainment, professional boxing and casino gaming.

MarCom entries come from corporate marketing and communication departments, advertising agencies, public relations firms, design shops, production companies and freelancers. The competition has grown to perhaps the largest of its kind in the world. The MarCom Awards are administered and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP).

About Cooksey Communications

Founded in 1994, Cooksey Communications is a Texas-based, strategic communications firm specializing in issues-related communications for government/economic development, transportation, water, energy and education clients, and strategic communications for professional services, real estate/development, retail/hospitality/consumer and nonprofit clients. Cooksey repeatedly has been named one of the top public relations agencies in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex by the Dallas Business Journal. For more information, visit www.CookseyPR.com.

Cooksey Adds, Promotes Team Members to Support Client Needs

Cooksey Communications Adds Kelly Colbert as Graphic Designer

DALLAS – Oct. 22, 2021 –

North Texas-based strategic communications firm Cooksey Communications recently added Kelly Colbert to its Creative Department as a graphic designer. Colbert supports all of Cooksey’s public and private sector clients with their digital and social marketing program, collateral design, brand development and event promotion needs.

“As an agency dedicated to our integrated communications services, we know that our clients expect savvy design that looks great, conveys messages effectively and advances organizational objectives with the right mix of power and nuance,” said Colby Walton, president of Cooksey Communications. “Kelly’s experience across a variety of industries and her ability to create distinctively branded materials for multiple platforms make her the perfect fit for our award-winning Creative Department.”

Before joining Cooksey, Colbert gained experience at a Plano-based agency, developing an array of skills encompassing web design, social media content planning, brand development and promotional print collateral.

Colbert graduated from The University of North Texas with a B.A. in interdisciplinary art and design studies.

About Cooksey Communications

Cooksey Communications Promotes Mary Kate Jeffries to Vice President and Account Manager

DALLAS – Sept. 15, 2021 –

Mary Kate Jeffries has been promoted to vice president and account manager at Cooksey Communications, a North Texas-based strategic communications firm. She provides day-to-day leadership and strategy for several public sector clients, as well as for private sector clients in the financial services, commercial real estate and construction industries, including such accounts as the Anna Economic Development Corporation, Irving Economic Development Partnership, City of Richardson, Richardson Economic Development Partnership, Credit Union of Texas, The Real Estate Council (TREC) and HWH 1887.

“Mary Kate has quickly proven herself as a valuable leader on our team, providing strategic guidance and proactive, day-to-day management of key agency relationships,” said Colby Walton, president of Cooksey Communications. “This promotion is a well-deserved recognition of her many meaningful agency contributions and her outstanding service to clients across several highly specialized sectors.”

Jeffries joined Cooksey in 2020 as an account manager, and she has over two decades of public relations and journalism experience. She earned her bachelor’s degree in public relations and her master’s degree in journalism, both from Boston University.

ABOUT COOKSEY COMMUNICATIONS

Cooksey Communications Adds Owen Ramsey as Assistant Account Executive

DALLAS – Aug. 3, 2021 –

North Texas-based public relations firm Cooksey Communications recently added Owen Ramsey to its team as an assistant account executive. Ramsey supports Cooksey’s clients in the commercial real estate, transportation and water, professional services and nonprofit sectors.

“Owen’s educational background and agency experience, combined with his strong copywriting abilities and personable demeanor, have already made him an integral part of the Cooksey team,” said Colby Walton, president of Cooksey Communications. “We are looking forward to the contributions he will bring not only to our clients but also to the agency’s overall success.”

Before Cooksey, Ramsey gained experience at a Fort Worth-based agency, performing traditional and emerging PR practices across various industries. In addition, he gained vital skills in conceptualizing and executing marketing campaigns through his time as a student executive director for a student development services organization at Texas Christian University (TCU).

Ramsey graduated from TCU with a Bachelor of Science degree in strategic communication.

ABOUT COOKSEY COMMUNICATIONS