James Cooksey serves as Newmark’s Vice Chairman and President of Tenant Representation Texas. He is responsible for the strategic direction of tenant and corporate pursuit team members throughout the region and nation. A trailblazer in the commercial real estate industry for more than 38 years, Cooksey has represented numerous Fortune 500 companies, relying on his aptitude for quickly and strategically assessing real estate decisions and applying them to corporate strategies, managing complex negotiations, troubleshooting and employing extensive experience in creative deal structuring. Cooksey’s passion, drive and competitive spirit along with his dedication to putting clients’ needs first led to the development of Jackson Cooksey, an innovative real estate company that exclusively represented corporations and their real estate needs worldwide. Founded in 1982, Jackson Cooksey was considered an apex in the real estate industry prior to its acquisition by Newmark in 2018.
A consensus builder and insightful problem solver known for his dedication to his associates, Cooksey has earned a reputation as a generous leader, mentor and motivator who encourages innovation and integrity. Always a positive thinker, he finds opportunities in real estate where others see only obstacles. Cooksey’s approach, which he made the cornerstone of his business, is to be aggressive, think outside the box and always exceed client expectations. This mindset along with his competitive spirit and single-minded determination has made Cooksey one of the country’s most respected commercial real estate professionals.
Cooksey has received numerous real estate honors for his significant accomplishments in the real estate industry. These include the 2020 F.M. Hemphill Distinguished Alumni Award from North Central Texas College and the 2019 Commercial Real Estate Executive of the Year award from DCEO Magazine. In addition, Cooksey has ranked among the Dallas Business Journal’s top five office and industrial producers since 1996, and he was consistently named a Heavy Hitter by the Houston Business Journal during his tenure with Jackson Cooksey.
Education
Cooksey graduated from North Texas State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and economics. He also completed coursework for a Master of Public Administration degree.