TOM COOKE
Denver,CO
Summary
Experienced aerospace executive specializing in strategic leadership and program management. Proven success in securing high-value contracts, including a $175M NASA agreement, and building strategic partnerships. Expertise in delivering innovative solutions and leading high-performing teams.
Overview
32
32
years of professional experience
Work History
Co-founder | Chief Executive Officer
Spacely, Inc.
Denver, CO
01.2020 - Current
- Co-founder and lead for day-to-day business operations and strategy for platform-enabled open talent marketplace serving the aerospace industry.
- Architected strategic partnerships to secure a $175M NASA contract within 3 months of starting company.
- Developed workforce development initiative with Lockheed Martin, Space ISAC, the state of Colorado and multiple academic institutions, addressing 1,000 job openings in aerospace.
- Drove corporate growth by optimizing state tax credits and securing government investments
- Led creation of a network of 500+ professionals and 30+ companies for innovative staffing solutions.
- Partnered with multiple stakeholders to enhance recruitment processes for qualified candidates in aerospace industry.
Consultant
Cooke Consulting Solutions, LLC
Denver, CO
06.2017 - Current
- Provided subject matter expertise to multiple small, midsize and large aerospace companies for responses to sources sought, requests for information (RFIs) and requests for proposals (RFPs), including development, strategy and implementation of proposed efforts.
- Assisted startup aerospace organization, the Catalyst Campus in Colorado Springs, achieve 501(C)(3) status. Gained status determination, provided inputs to Colorado’s Office of Economic and International Development and Trade (OEDIT) to secure $700K Advanced Industry (AI) Collaborative Infrastructure grant to connect academic, startup and advanced technology entities supporting multiple space programs, including the Catalyst Campus, OPIR TAPLAB and SDA TAPLAB.
- Consulting with world-class teams utilizing unconstrained methodologies to bring forward first of kind technology development and use cases for various air and space systems.
Program Manager
Los Angeles AFB
Los Angeles, CA
06.2015 - 06.2017
- Program Manager for 110-person Special Access Program / Special Access Required (SAP/SAR) team to acquire, integrate and operate $300M+ investment, ultimately delivering the Counter-Communications System (CCS) 10.2, an Offensive Counterspace capability, to global Air Force units.
- Directed implementation of Multi Mission Platform (MMP) architecture for complex counter-communications applications.
- Coordinated stand up of two new National Guard units in Florida and California and readied personnel for Operational Test (OT) and delivery of first ever Counter-Communications Systems to the National Guard.
- Structured novel contract mechanism for uncleared UI/UX expertise and technology capabilities to be integrated into SAP/SAR program to create first of kind enterprise UI/UX design for consistency across disparate, complex applications.
Deputy Director
Buckley AFB
Buckley, CO
01.2013 - 06.2015
- Directed 917-person team to transition $247M developmental Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) satellite constellation and legacy operational DSP and HEO capabilities into the new Block 10 ground system and gained operational acceptance of entire $18B architecture.
- Implemented integrated scorecard approach novel to 10,000-member organization to drive customer acceptance and ensure system’s technical readiness to support launch of $1.2B satellite and protection of $6B of satellites already on orbit. Developed Joint Overhead Persistent Infrared Center (JOPC) unified mission management approach for tasking and operations in new baseline.
- Implemented programmatic strategy to combine three separate software baselines in three different geographic locations, each supporting billion-dollar assets, into one consolidated Mission Control Station at Buckley. Completed project on schedule to support launch of $2B satellite achieving $300M savings by closing legacy operations centers.
- Architect for OPIR TAPLAB utilizing operational understanding and acquisition expertise to combine existing operational infrastructure for Launch and Early Orbit Test (LEOT) with program office investments in new Sensor Open Framework Architecture (SOFA) and its connection and application into the OPIR Battlespace Awareness Center (OBAC).
Director of Operations
USAF
Boulder, CO
01.2011 - 01.2013
- Directed operations for 224-person team executing Launch, Early Orbit and Test for $18B SBIRS project.
- Oversaw launch and daily operations of two next-generation satellites valued at $5.5B.
- Led a selected 10-person team for critical relocation of $3.5B satellite asset.
- Executed asset movement through complex orbit maneuver without design life impact.
- Resolved issues within Satellite Anomaly Working Groups while ensuring continuous access to space assets.
- Managed maintenance and testing processes to support optimal satellite performance.
- Coordinated activities within $145M operations center to enhance mission success.
- Streamlined communication across teams to ensure alignment during complex operations.
Various Roles
United States Air Force
09.1993 - 01.2011
- Various roles supporting critical missions and new technology development.
- Responsible for maintaining communications to Air Force One through Special Air Missions (SAM FOX) operations.
- Lead development of next-generation handheld GPS receivers implementing World Magnetic Model (WMM) and WGS-84 software. Developed constellation optimization schema with MIT Lincoln Labs for Space Radar program design.
- Supported multiple combat operations with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) airborne platforms through data extraction and exploitation.
- Built first net-centric data repository for unique airborne data set originally designed for a different mission area. Near real-time architecture implementation turned around first of kind data driven products in minutes instead of months.
- Designed ground truth experiments for algorithm development and data characterization. Data processed through architecture characterized activity and found thousands of previously unidentified objects critical to Improvised Explosive Device (IED) discovery and defeat saving hundreds of lives.
Education
MBA - Defense Acquisitions
Naval Postgraduate School
Monterey12.2010
Space Systems Certificate - Physics of Space and Airborne Sensor Systems, Space Technology and Applications, Fundamentals of Geospatial Information and Services and Military Satellite Communications
Naval Postgraduate School
Monterey06.2005
B.S. - Political Science, Chinese Minor
United States Air Force Academy
Colorado Springs05.2000
Skills
- Leadership in Program and Project Management
- Strategic Business Development
- Aerospace Systems Engineering
- Innovative Solution Delivery
- High-Performing Team Leadership
Timeline
Co-founder | Chief Executive Officer
Spacely, Inc.
01.2020 - Current
Consultant
Cooke Consulting Solutions, LLC
06.2017 - Current
Program Manager
Los Angeles AFB
06.2015 - 06.2017
Deputy Director
Buckley AFB
01.2013 - 06.2015
Director of Operations
USAF
01.2011 - 01.2013
Various Roles
United States Air Force
09.1993 - 01.2011
MBA - Defense Acquisitions
Naval Postgraduate School
Space Systems Certificate - Physics of Space and Airborne Sensor Systems, Space Technology and Applications, Fundamentals of Geospatial Information and Services and Military Satellite Communications
Naval Postgraduate School
B.S. - Political Science, Chinese Minor
United States Air Force Academy