Elliott Cook is the director of real estate for the Downtown Strategies division of Retail Strategies. He works with cities throughout the country conducting Downtown Visioning Workshops and helping to develop strategic plans with a focus on local real estate assets. Elliott also works to train downtown property owners within client communities. Part of his director of real estate role, Elliott teaches community leaders how to ‘speak retail’ to retailers, brokers, and developers through the Retail Academy program.
Prior to working for the Downtown Strategies team, Elliott specialized in retail recruitment working to further retail and restaurant development in partner communities in Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and California.
His past work experience also includes property management for Retail Specialists in Birmingham, Alabama and at Vornado/Charles E. Smith Realty Trust in the Washington, D.C. area. He also served as an aide to United States Representative Spencer Bachus in his legislative office on Capitol Hill.
Elliott holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Auburn University and sits on the board for the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Alabama Chapter. He has been a featured speaker for numerous organizations including ICSC Vegas, the Illinois Municipal League, the Missouri Municipal League, the Association of Washington Cities, the North Carolina League of Municipalities, the Maryland Mayor’s Association, and at the Washington Tourism Summit.
