Willard became the first Director of Alpha New England in 2001 and is now the Chairman of the Board. Originally from Wyoming, after selling his family run auto dealership and experiencing the empty-nest, Willard and his wife Sally took the plunge to move east. The Lord didn’t waste any time in finding a new call for him! Willard and his wife Sally come to the New England area from the big skies and open spaces of northern Wyoming. Sally was born and raised in Cody, which is one of the gateway towns to Yellowstone National Park; Willard was raised in Sheridan, in the eastern part of the state near the Big Horn Mountains. Upon graduating from Dartmouth College and Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management, Willard served in Vietnam. He spent some time in Washington, D.C., where he met Sally. After they were married, Willard brought his bride back to Sheridan where they lived, worked, worshipped and raised their family of two daughters near the foothills of Willard's beloved Big Horn Mountains. Willard's first career was as Sheridan's Ford, Lincoln-Mercury dealer--a family owned business which he shepherded in partnership with his father, and then on his own, for 30 years before selling the dealership in 1998. With an empty nest and an exciting new freedom to contemplate, Willard and Sally decided to spend the winter of 2000 - 2001 in Marblehead, MA, to avail themselves of the culture of Boston--Sally's affinity for music and the arts having been a defining factor in her life in Sheridan for many years. The decision proved to be a good one. The Boston Symphony Orchestra, the museums, and the many suburban music offerings were just a few of the delights they found, and their relative proximity to New York City allowed them to attend the New York Philharmonic and the Metropolitan Opera as well. The many and varied handball games available to Willard throughout metro Boston, and the excellent teaching and warm communities provided first  by Christ Church, Hamilton, MA, and then Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church, Danvers, MA,  simply made their experience all the better. The result of Willard and Sally's experiences during this transitional year was that the summer of 2001 was a critical decision making time for them. After much thought and prayer, they decided to sell their home in Wyoming, and relocate to Boston's North Shore.Upon their return to Boston in November of 2001, the de facto Alpha New England Board of Directors approached Willard to become the first Director of Alpha New England. The timing was perfect for both Willard and Alpha. The Lord had clearly moved the Cooks to the Boston area, and into the circle of Alpha New England. Willard finds working with Alpha to be an invigorating endeavor. He appreciates the people, the course, and the blessings of the Lord on a daily basis. He wants to be of service in any way he can to those running Alpha, or those curious about it.