FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, September 26, 2022
Senate President Karen Fann Announces Appointment to
Water Infrastructure Finance Authority Board
Dr. Theodore Cooke of Central Arizona Project named as new WIFA Board Member
PHOENIX, ARIZONA— Arizona State Senate President Karen Fann appoints current General Manager of the Central Arizona Project (CAP), Dr. Theodore Cooke, to the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority (WIFA) Board.
Back in June, the Governor signed SB 1740, sponsored by Senator Sine Kerr (R-13), which greatly enhances WIFA as the statewide entity responsible for managing a historic $1.2 billion appropriation passed this session to address the water issues our state is currently facing. The goal of this money is to ensure Arizona families, businesses, farmers, and ranchers will continue to have an adequate water supply for the next 100 years.
Dr. Cooke is set to retire from CAP in early November and will then start his new position on the WIFA Board shortly after. In this role, Dr. Cooke will oversee loan and grant distribution to water providers and entities for the purposes of importing water into Arizona, conservation, efficiency, and reuse projects, as well as new technologies.
"Being a WIFA Board member is a critical job in securing water for the state of Arizona, and we need experts with in-depth experience on managing not only this precious resource, but also taxpayer dollars," said President Karen Fann (R-1). "We closely examined every applicant and determined Dr. Cooke's wealth of knowledge and incredible industry insight make him a highly qualified person for this position. He understands the very different needs of municipalities, the agriculture industry, home builders and economic developers, as well as conservation. Water is a very complex issue, and we are confident that Dr. Cooke will be able to hit the ground running in establishing innovative ways to preserve and maintain a dependable water supply for all Arizonans."
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For more information, contact:
Kim Quintero
Director of Communications | Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus