Joe Cook

About Joe Cook

Executive SummaryStrategic Human Resources and Learning & Talent Development Executive with nearly 20 years of experience leading enterprise-wide training, organizational development, human resources, and leadership readiness within financial services and corporate environments. Proven success designing and executing learning strategies aligned to business goals, improving retention, enhancing employee engagement, and driving a culture of continuous development. Valued executive partner with deep expertise in leading and building human resource and talent development strategies through implementing scalable programs that build agile, high-performance, and future-ready workforces.Key Achievements • Reduced onboarding time by 25% and reduced training travel expense by over annually through the strategic implementation of a virtual onboarding experience, accelerating new hire productivity. • Revamped talent acquisition processes, resulting in a 16% increase in candidate pipeline and a 10% reduction in first-year turnover through improved screening and alignment. • Designed and launched employee recognition programs, driving a 7% increase in engagement satisfaction scores and strengthening organizational culture. • Developed enterprise talent development programs that contributed to a 3-year asset size growth of 72% overall, aligning workforce capability with business strategy. • Led learning and development initiatives that supported a sustained net promoter score (NPS) of 86%+, reflecting high learner satisfaction and relevance. • Introduced role-specific “Lending Learning Series” achieving an average learning lift of 23%, measured through pretest vs. post-test assessments. • Implemented next-generation talent technologies, including AI-powered tools, resulting in up to 60% project time savings and increased operational efficiency.

Experience

1. Senior VP Training

   Security State Bank & Trust

   Jan 2024 — Present

   Developed and led a multi-year enterprise learning and development strategy grounded in organizational priorities, evolving workforce dynamics, and regulatory landscapes, positioning L&D as a central lever for enterprise growth and risk mitigation.• Established and chair the Executive Training Strategy Committee, shaping the long-range vision and aligning short-term priorities for organizational learning initiatives, by prioritizing high-impact initiatives and aligning departmental KPIs to business outcomes.• Architected a leadership and talent pipeline strategy spanning executive development, succession planning, and high-potential identification, cultivating a future-ready leadership bench aligned with business continuity and transformation goals.• Oversee overall governance of the bank’s learning ecosystem, providing executive oversight of digital learning infrastructure, vendor strategy, and platform innovation to ensure scalability and alignment with long-term operational goals.• Influence enterprise compliance and risk posture through strategic collaboration with HR, IS, BSA, and Compliance, embedding learning into audit-readiness frameworks and governance protocols.• Leverage workforce analytics and learning intelligence to inform strategic decisions on talent investment, engagement programming, and capability development, ensuring alignment with organizational performance and culture objectives.• Advise executive leadership on long-term human capital strategy, contributing to decisions related to risk management, enterprise resource allocation, and strategic workforce planning.• Drove enterprise cultural alignment and workforce agility by leading a comprehensive refresh of talent acquisition and onboarding strategy, yielding measurable gains in retention, candidate quality, and internal mobility.• Directed enterprise-wide policy and procedure modernization, aligning learning and operational practices to shifting regulatory and strategic priorities.

Education

• Wright State University

  BS in Business Management, Accounting

  2000 — 2004

• University of Phoenix

  MBA, Management

  2007 — 2009

• Sinclair Community College

  Real Estate, Real Estate

  2004 — 2004