Agricultural Division Staff: Billy Cook
Since 2009, Cook has served as the director of the Noble Foundation's Agricultural Division and is a Foundation senior vice president. He joined the Noble Foundation in 1999 as a livestock consultant within the division's consultation program before assuming the role of research program manager in 2004. As research program manager, Cook planned, coordinated and implemented the Agricultural Division's research and demonstration efforts as well as oversaw and managed the institution's farm resources. As a researcher, his specific research interests involve replacement beef heifer selection and management and enhancing stocker cattle performance on cool-season and warm-season pastures. Prior to joining the Noble Foundation, Cook served as general manager of the Beef Development and Research Center of Texas. There, he managed a bull performance and development program through the first 18 months of its operation. During this time, more than 1,700 bulls were performance tested. Cook is a member of the American Society of Animal Science and the American Meat Science Association. Cook grew up in the small West Texas community of Imperial.
• Doctor of Philosophy in beef cattle production and meat science, 1997, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
• Master of Science in beef cattle production, 1995, Texas A&M University
• Bachelor of Science in animal health management, 1991, Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Texas