Mike Cooper Biography

Mike Cooper says that tourism is not only his occupation, it’s his preoccupation and he’s spent the past 26 years proving it.  He was appointed commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Tourism in December, 2007.  He is a 22-year veteran of Kentucky state government with extensive domestic and international tourism experience and served for 14 years in a variety of posts including assistant director of marketing and advertising from 1994 to 2000 and assistant director of tourism services from 2001 to 2004.  Prior to Tourism, Cooper served for seven years in the Kentucky Department of Parks.

In addition to his background in tourism, Cooper has extensive experience as an event planner. He recently served as executive director for the inauguration of Governor Beshear and coordinated the Kentucky Democratic Tour to Victory rallies and bus tour, as well as the “Let's Work Together” victory night celebration.  He also assisted with the inaugurations of five former governors.  He has planned other high-profile events, including the 2001 Southern Governors Association Convention, the Kentucky Bicentennial and many annual Governor's Kentucky Derby festivities.

Cooper was instrumental in the formation of Visit Kentucky USA, an international marketing consortium of convention and visitor bureaus of Lexington, Louisville, Northern Kentucky.  He is a 15-year board member of Equestrian Events Inc., which produces the annual Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event and also serves on the boards of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, the Kentucky Tourism Council, the Kentucky Derby Festival, Travel South USA, the Southeast Tourism Society, the Mississippi River Parkway Commission and the Man of War Swim Conference.

A native Kentuckian, Cooper holds a B.S. degree in Accounting and Business Administration from Georgetown College. He is a certified Travel Marketing Professional from the Southeast Tourism Society Marketing College.

Married and the father of two children, he lives in Lexington. He is an avid distance runner who has participated in more than a dozen marathons around the country.