Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

Jim Cook serves as the President and CEO of the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (NOENMCC), the sixth-largest convention center in the United States.

Appointed by the Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority, the Convention Center’s governing board, Cook oversees the building’s strategic direction, daily operations, and a range of transformative initiatives. These include the development of the upcoming 1,000-room Omni New Orleans headquarters hotel, the River District mixed-use development, and the ongoing $557 million Capital Improvement Plan—all critical to enhancing the city’s competitiveness in attracting global conventions, trade shows, and events.

Cook's career spans more than 40 years in the hospitality sector, with significant experience in both hotel operations and regional leadership. He began his career in his hometown of Boston, Massachusetts, starting at an early age by peeling shrimp and gradually advancing through a variety of culinary roles prior to honing his culinary skills at Johnson and Wales University. Following that Jim moved to Virginia to join the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation where he held a variety of leadership roles in tidewater Virginia.

Joining Starwood Hotels in 1999 as the Food and Beverage Director at the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel, he later advanced into hotel general management with the Doubletree Hotel Virginia Beach. Over his 26-year tenure with Marriott International, he held executive roles across Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Louisiana, including serving as Senior Director of Franchise Operations for the Northeast. Most recently, he served as General Manager of the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel, where he directed operations for a 1,110-room property with 100,000 square feet of meeting space and led numerous community engagement and repositioning efforts.

In 2025, Cook was recognized with three of New Orleans’ most prestigious honors. He was named to the New Orleans CityBusiness Power 50 list, which highlights the region’s most influential leaders across industries, and selected as a Young Leadership Council Role Model. He was also named to the Biz New Orleans “New Orleans 500,” an annual publication that celebrates the most influential business leaders and professionals shaping the region’s economy and future. These accolades reflect Cook’s professional excellence, civic leadership, and the transformative impact he has had on both the Convention Center and the broader tourism economy.

A respected figure in New Orleans’ hospitality and broader business community, Cook has served on the boards of multiple civic organizations, including as Chair of New Orleans & Company, the Business Council of New Orleans and the River Region, the Greater New Orleans Hotel & Lodging Association, the New Orleans Police and Justice Foundation, and the New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority. He has also served with organizations such as the Downtown Development District, Greater New Orleans Inc., the All In For New Orleans Mayoral Transition Committee, and the UNO to LSU New Orleans Transition Committee.

Cook holds a bachelor’s degree in food service management and an associate degree in culinary arts from Johnson & Wales University, as well as an MBA from Louisiana State University Shreveport.
As he leads the Convention Center through ambitious development milestones, Cook remains committed to fostering economic opportunity, sustainability, and community benefit. Under his guidance, NOENMCC will continue to play a vital role in strengthening New Orleans’ reputation as a premier destination that is, in every sense, “Built to Host.”