Texas Sports Hall of Fame names new President and CEO

​WACO, TX – December 19, 2016 - The Texas Sports Hall of Fame announced today that veteran athletics administrator Cooper Jones has been named President and Chief Executive Officer.  

“We are thrilled to welcome Cooper and his family to Waco,” said Ed Page, Chairman of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame Board of Trustees.  “Cooper is perfectly suited to lead the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in its next chapter of success, and his background as a progressive and highly successful fundraiser and external relations professional will serve the Hall of Fame well in the future.”

“I am humbled and honored to accept this tremendous opportunity to lead the Texas Sports Hall of Fame”, said Jones.  “I will work hard every day to preserve, protect and advance its legacy.  I appreciate the confidence the Board has placed in me and the enthusiastic way they have welcomed me to the organization.”

“We had well over 70 applicants for this position,” shared Page.  “We were looking for a professional with strong leadership skills who could engage the community and significantly drive revenue, and Cooper brings all those assets to the organization.”  “As a Board, we were all impressed with Cooper’s commitment to athletics and his history of success in various leadership positions, including previous experience in the Lone Star State.”

“I am excited about raising awareness and support for the Hall of Fame,” stated Jones.  “Our team will not only work with the Waco community, but all across the great state of Texas, as we continue to educate the public about the importance, and impact, of sports on our economy and in our communities.”

Jones brings over 17 years of leadership experience to this new role.  He most recently served as Executive Associate Athletics Director at Arizona State University where he led a development team that raised over $185 million for Sun Devil Athletics in just under four years.  Prior to ASU, Jones served as Senior Associate Athletics Director at the University of North Texas and was responsible for all external affairs and revenue generation for Mean Green Athletics.  He previously held external relations and development roles at the University of Louisville, the University of Maryland and the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Jones grew up in Conyers, Georgia, and was a scholarship athlete at Ohio University, where he played football.  He graduated with a degree in Public Relations and Journalism from the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism.  He and his wife, Tiffany, an Academic All-ACC scholarship athlete at Georgia Tech, have a three-year old son, Jack, and one-year old twins, Annie and Janie.

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About the Texas Sports Hall of Fame

​The Texas Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, located in Waco, Texas, chronicles the heroes and legends of the Lone Star State sports at all levels including high school standouts, Olympians and professionals. Established in 1993, the organization’s mission is to preserve the legacies of all inductees and the history of sports in Texas while educating and inspiring guests of all ages. Home to over 300 Texas sports legends, the museum also houses the Texas Tennis Museum & Hall of Fame and Texas High School Football Hall of Fame. For more information, please visit http://www.tshof.org/.