Cooper Communities Keeps It ?All in the Family?

John A. Cooper III has replaced his father as president of Cooper Communities Inc., a $150 million diversified real estate and development company in Bella Vista.

The appointment, approved by the company’s board July 24, marks a third generation of Cooper leadership for the family owned business.

John A. Cooper Jr. will stay on as company chairman. The grandson of the company’s patriarch shrugged off much publicity, but said he’s ready to keep the firm growing as it readies to relocate to Rogers in September.

Cooper is divided into five subsidiaries including Cooper Land Development, Cooper Realty Investments, Cooper Homes, Cooper Building Materials and Cooper Escapes.

“We broke the company up into several divisions in 1997, and we’re very satisfied with the results,” John Cooper III said. “My role will be similar to a portfolio manager.”

John Cooper III joined the company in 1996 as a financial analyst and became assistant to the president in 1998. In 2000, he became executive vice president. He serves on the boards of the Mildred B. Cooper Memorial Chapel, COFA Inc., Diamante LLC, the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and others.